Antoine-François Bernardini

Composition and variability of the essential oil of Stachys glutinosa L. from Corsica (France)

The constituents of the essential oil of Stachys glutinosa L. were investigated for the first time. In a first part, we studied a collective oil following a methodology which combined chromatographic techniques (CC, GC) with spectroscopic techniques (MS, 13C-NMR). Sixty-four constituents (91% of the total composition) were identified. The major compounds were terpinen-4-ol (13.1%), α-pinene (10.1%), α-terpineol (8.4%), β-phellandrene (6.8%) and γ-terpinene (6.1%). In a second part, we investigated 53 oil samples obtained from individual plants collected widely in Corsica, by GC–RI and GC–MS. The essential oils of S. glutinosa displayed a wide infraspecific chemical variability.

Composition of the Essential Oil of Cistus ladaniferus L. Cultivated in Corsica (France)

The essential oil of Cistus ladaniferus L., obtained from plants of Spanish origin grown in Corsica, was investigated by 13C-NMR spectroscopy (identification of components) and GC (quantification). First, a bulk sample was analysed and 45 constituents were identified. The main components were α-pinene (39%), viridiflorol (11.8%), ledol (3.3%) and bornyl acetate (3.1%). The occurrence of cyclosativene, γ-cadinene, (E)-β-farnesene and β-eudesmol in the essential oil of Cistus ladaniferus is reported here for the first time. Then, in order to study the chemical variability of individual oils, we examined 20 samples. α-Pinene (11.1–47.4%) was the most abundant component in 18 of the 20 samples, followed by trans-pinocarveol (4.4–10.9%) and viridiflorol (4.7–10.7%). Two samples exhibited a different chemical composition, not as yet described, characterized by the predominance of viridiflorol (20–22.6%), ledol (6.4–6.7%) and trans-pinocarveol (5.4–8.6%).

Partitioning the Relative Contributions of Inorganic Plant Composition and Soil Characteristics to the Quality of Helichrysum italicum subsp. italicum (Roth) G. Don fil. Essential Oil

Composition of Helichrysum italicum subsp. italicum essential oil showed chemical variability according to vegetation cycle, environment, and geographic origins. In the present work, 48 individuals of this plant at different development stages and the corresponding root soils were sampled: i) 28 volatile components were identified and measured in essential oil by using GC and GC/MS; ii) ten elements from plants and soils have been estimated using colorimetry in continuous flux, flame atomic absorption spectrometry, or emission spectrometry (FAAS/FAES); iii) texture and acidity (real and potential) of soil samples were also reported. Relationships between the essential‐oil composition, the inorganic plant composition, and the soil characteristics (inorganic composition, texture, and acidity) have been established using multivariate analysis such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and partial Redundancy Analysis (RDA). This study demonstrates a high level of intraspecific differences in oil composition due to environmental factors and, more particularly, soil characteristics.

Chemical Composition and Variation of the Essential Oil of Wild Sardinian Helichrysum Italicum G. Don subsp. Microphyllum (Willd.) Nym from Vegetative Period to Post-blooming

Abstract The essential oils obtained by water distillation from the aerial parts of Helichrysum italicum G. Don subsp. microphyllum (Willd.) Nym. were analyzed by gC and gC/MS. Three different populations growing at different elevations and under different weather conditions were studied from their vegetative period to post-blooming time. Forty-eight constituents accounting for between 96.5% and 83.0% of total oils have been identified and quantified. Among the identified constituents those present in the highest percentage were neryl acetate (17.6–35.6%), nerol (3.7–14.4%) and eudesmen-5-en-11-ol (6.4–23.5%). Among them, the neryl acetal percentage decreased when 5-eudesmen-11-ol percentage increased, and limonene reached 7% relative composition. The main fraction of the oil consisted of oxygenated compounds present in higher concentrations in June.

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils of Teucrium chamaedrys L. from Corsica and Sardinia

Abstract The composition of the essential oils of Teucrium chamaedrys L. from Corsica and Sardinia islands were investigated using a combination of gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after fractionation over column chromatography. Eighty-seven compounds were identified, the main components were β-caryophyllene (29.0% and 27.4%, respectively) and germacrene D (19.4% and 13.5%, respectively), followed by α-humulene (6.8%) and δ-cadinene (5.4%) in the Corsican sample and by caryophyllene oxide (12.3%) and α-humulene (6.5%) in the Sardinian sample. The study confirms the quantitative variability of the chemical composition of T. chamaedrys oils.

Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Saccocalyx satureioides Coss. et Dur. Essential Oil and Extract Obtained by Microwave Extraction. Comparison with Hydrodistillation

Abstract The antimicrobial activities and the chemical compositions of the essential oil and extract of Saccocalyx satureioides Coss. et Dur. from West Algeria obtained by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) were studied. The chemical compositions of the oils and extract were investigated by capillary GC and GC/MS and their antibacterial and antifungal activities were studied by means of paper disc diffusion method and dilution agar method. Among the 68 compounds identified, the main components of the HD and SFME oils were borneol (28%), thymol (18%), α-terpineol (17%) and camphene (8% and 6%), respectively. Conversely, thymol (25.0%) followed by borneol (21.6%), α-terpineol (11.7%) and ethyl o-methylbenzoate (2.6%) were the major components of the volatiles extracted by hexane MAE. The comparison of the three techniques in terms of isolation times, yields and composition were reported. The oils and extract were compared with a water distilled oil. The oil of S. satureioides showed a stronger activity against yeasts than bacteria.

Santolina Alcohol as Component of the Essential Oil of Achillea ageratum L. from Corsica Island

Abstract The composition of the essential oil of Achillea ageratum L. from Corsica Island was investigated using a combination of gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after fractionation over column chromatography. Sixty-eight compounds were identified, the main components being 1,8-cineole (41%), yomogi alcohol (22.3%), santolina alcohol (10%) and artemisyl acetate (7.6%). The chemical composition of Corsican A. ageratum oil differed from those reported in the literature. The use of two capillary columns with different polarity under optimal GC conditions allowed the identifcation and the quantification of santolina alcohol that was coeluted on both capillary columns used.

Detailed analysis of the essential oil from Cistus albidus L. by combination of GC/RI, GC/MS and 13C-NMR spectroscopy

The composition of the essential oil of Cistus albidus (L.) obtained from plants growing wild in Provence (France) has been investigated using GC–RI (RI = retention indices), GC/MS and 13C-NMR. Eighty-eight components were reported accounting for 81.8% of the essential oil. This essential oil was characterized by a high content of sesquiterpenes with α-zingiberene (12.8%), α-curcumene (7.7%), (E)-β-caryophyllene (5.9%), α-cadinol (5.4%), α-bisabolol (4.1%), caryophyllene oxide (3.8%), allo-aromadendrene (3.4%), δ-cadinene (3.4%), and germacrene D (3.1%) being the main components.

Combined Analysis of the Essential Oil from Tagetes bipinata by GC, GC/MS and 13C-NMR Spectroscopy

Abstract Six commercial samples of the essential oil of Tagetes bipinata from Madagascar were analyzed by GC (retention indices), GC/MS and 13C-NMR. Tagetes bipinata produces a monoterpene-rich oil dominated by (Z)-β-ocimene and acyclic unsaturated ketones among which dihydrotagetone was present in the six samples at appreciable content (11.9–24.4%) and is reported for the first time in the oil of T. bipinata.