Bojan Zlatković

Traditional use of the native medicinal plant resource of Mt. Rtanj (Eastern Serbia): ethnobotanical evaluation and comparison.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE This study reports on the uses of medicinal plants and ethnobotanical significance of Mt. Rtanj, Eastern Serbia. The aim of the study was collecting information on plant utilization and creating the list of medicinal plants collected by local community in the region of Rtanj Mt. in Serbia. METHODOLOGY A group of generally elderly people from the region were interviewed, asked to identify a certain number of plant taxa used against various human ailments. A quantitative ethnobotanical comparison has been performed in relation to other studies concerning the central Balkan Peninsula. RESULTS There is an inventory of 45 plant species recorded. At the family level, the most common in traditional usage were species of Labiatae (22%), Rosaceae (20%) and Compositae (13%). The results of the survey suggested that Hypericum perforatum was the most popular medicinal plant. Among the 7 different recorded types of preparation, the aerial parts of plants were the most popular (47.3%). The most frequently reported medicinal uses of herbal drugs include remedies for immune system (22.97%), respiratory system (15.77%) and digestive system disorders (15.32%). However, a comparatively small number of available plant species was used for medicinal purposes while the level of ethnobotanical diversity was lower when compared to adjacent regions. CONCLUSIONS Ethnobotanical knowledge in this area is decreasing due to high emigration rates during the last period. The historically developed ethnobotanical heritage should be preserved and promoted on the larger level, getting the special position in the future management plans for this area.

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Satureja hortensis L. essential oil

Essential oil of Satureja hortensis L. was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and tested by a broth micro-well dilution method for activity against multiresistant clinical isolates of pathogenic bacteria from 10 different genera: Klebsiella, Escherichia, Proteus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, Enterobacter, Citrobacter and Acinetobacter. The main compounds in the oil were carvacrol (67%), γ-terpinene (15.3%) and p-cymene (6.73%). The oil showed activity against all tested strains. MIC/MBC values were in the range of 0.78-25 μl/ml, with the exception of the strain P. aeruginosa. Microbicidal concentration for this particular strain (50 μl/ml) was the highest tested concentration. The oil showed inhibitory and bactericidal effect at the same concentration (MIC=MBC) for all but three strains.

Chemical composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oil of Allium sphaerocephalon L. subsp. sphaerocephalon (Liliaceae) inflorescences

BACKGROUND Allium sphaerocephalon is a wild-growing plant commonly used as an onion substitute. In this study the essential oil obtained from A. sphaerocephalon subsp. sphaerocephalon inflorescences was analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and also evaluated for in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The obtained results are reported for the first time and discussed with respect to the sulfur compounds detected in the essential oil. RESULTS Ninty-one compounds were identified, representing 91.6% (w/w) of the total oil. Major constituents of the analysed sample were shyobunol (15.3%), β-caryophyllene (8.1%), α-cadinol (7.8%), 3,5-diethyl-1,2,4-trithiolane (isomer II, 5.9%) and δ-cadinene (5.2%). The diluted oil had an antioxidant capacity of 160 000 ± 111 micromol α-tocopherol acetate equivalents g(-1). Its antimicrobial activity was evaluated against five bacterial and two fungal strains using the broth microdilution assay. Among the micro-organisms tested, the most susceptible strains were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (minimal inhibitory/bactericidal concentration = 0.08/2.5 mg mL(-1)) and Aspergillus niger (minimal inhibitory/fungicidal concentration = 0.31/0.63 mg mL(-1)). CONCLUSION The results showed that the examined species had strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and are in accordance with the popular use of plants belonging to the genus Allium in traditional medicine, emphasising the necessity of further detailed study of the active principles in Allium species.

Antimicrobial Activity of Satureja Hortensis L. Essential Oil Against Pathogenic Microbial Strains

ABSTRACT A hydrodistilled oil of Satureja hortensis L. was investigated for its antimicrobial activity against a panel of 11 bacterial and three fungal strains. The antimicrobial activity was determined using disk-diffusion method and broth microdilution method. Essential oil of S. hortensis L. showed significant activity against wide spectrum of Gram (-) bacteria (MIC/MBC=0.025–0.78/0.05–0.78 μl/ml) and Gram (+) bacteria (MIC/MBC=0.05–0.39/0.05–0.78 μl/ml), as well as against fungal strains (MIC/MBC=0.20/0.78 μl/ml). Therefore, the present results indicate that this oil can be used in food conservation, treatment of different deseases of humans, and also for the treatment of the plants infected by phytopathogens.

Composition of Achillea distans Willd. subsp. distans root essential oil

Gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass specteometry analyses of root volatiles of Achillea distans Willd. subsp. distans, collected from wild populations in Serbia, enabled the identification of 185 constituents, accounting for 93.6% of the total oil. Main constituents of the oil were τ-cadinol (17.6%), alismol (14.1%), α-cadinol (9.1%) and caryophyllene oxide (5.0%). The root oil was additionally characterised by the presence of five different amides containing the olefinic C10 acid moieties. This is the first report on A. distans subsp. distans root volatiles and on the occurrence of piperidides and piperideides as essential oil constituents.

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Centaurium erythraea Rafn (Gentianaceae) From Serbia

Abstract The volatile constituents of the aerial parts of Centaurium erythraea Rafn obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Two hundred and thirty two constituents identified accounted for 93.4% of the total oil. The major components of the oil were: neophytadiene isomer III (10.1%), carvacrol (7.9%), p-camphorene (5.6%), hexadecanoic acid (4.9%) and thymol (4.2%). The terpenoid fraction represented more then one half of the oil (14.4% monoterpenoids, 18.7% sesquiterpenoids and 22.4% diterpenoids), while the fatty acids and fatty acid derived compounds made up a third, and the carotenoid derived compounds only ca. 5% of the oil. Erythrocentaurin, 5-formyl-2,3- dihydroisocoumarin, although a minor contributor (0.1%) of the oil, was identified for the first time in an oil sample.

Chemical composition, antimicrobial, antioxidative and anticholinesterase activity of Satureja Montana L. ssp montana essential oil

The present study investigates the chemical compositions of three Satureja montana L. ssp montana essential oils and correlates chemical variability with biological activities. GC/MS analysis showed that with an increase in altitude (100–500–800 m), a higher content of linalool, terpinen-4-ol and cis-sabinene hydrate was found, while the percentage of phenolic compounds, thymol and carvacrol decreased. Antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was tested against 7 fungal and 23 bacterial strains. The essential oil characterized by the highest content of phenols and alcohols exhibited the highest antimicrobial potential. The correlation analysis showed that the major carriers of the obtained antioxidant activity are oxygenated monoterpenes. All essential oils inhibited human serum cholinesterase activity. High antimicrobial potential, together with moderate antioxidant capacity and strong inhibition of human serum cholinesterase, classifies S. montana essential oil as a natural source of compounds that can be used in the treatment of foodborne and neurological diseases, wound and other infections, as well as for general health improvement.

Root Essential Oil of Achillea lingulata Waldst. & Kit. (Asteraceae)

Abstract The volatile constituents of the underground parts of Achillea lingulata Waldst. & Kit. obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. One-hundred-twenty constituents identified accounted for 94.1% of the total oil. The major components of the oil were: neryl tiglate (16.2%), τ-cadinol (12.2%), neryl isovalerate (9.7%) and cubenol (8.9%). The terpenoid fraction represented ca. 90% of the oil (28.8% monoterpenoids, with monoterpene esters making up 27.8%, 60.4% sesquiterpenoids and 0.2% diterpenoids).

Volatiles of Telekia speciosa (Schreb.) Baumg. (Asteraceae) From Serbia

Abstract The essential oil from the aerial parts of Telekia speciosa (Schreb.) Baumg. obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. One hundred and eighty constituents identified accounted for 86.4% of the total oil. The major components of the oil were: (E,Z)-farnesol (12.0%), (E)-nerolidol (10.2%), b-caryophyllene (5.4%), caryophyllene oxide (4.5%), intermedeol (4.2%) and alantolactone (4.1%). The terpenoid fraction represented more than four-fifths of the oil (15.9% monoterpenoids, 64.7% sesquiterpenoids, both classes dominated by oxygenated derivatives). Unlike the root oil, where the eudesmanes were by far the most dominant compound class, the volatiles of the aerial parts were mainly consisted of acyclic-farnesane sesquiterpenoids (26.2%), along side with caryophyl-lanes (11.6%) and eudesmanes (14.5%).

Composition of Peucedanum longifolium Waldst. & Kit. essential oil and volatiles obtained by headspace

The present study reports the chemical composition of Peucedanum longifolium essential oil and headspace (HS) volatiles obtained from the fresh aerial parts. The major contributors of the essential oil were β-elemene (24.7%), (E)-β-ocimene (11.7%), cis-linalool oxide (furanoid, 5.7%), (Z)-β-ocimene (5.6%) and α-humulene (5.2%). HS analysis of the above ground plant parts has enabled the identification of thirty-one components, representing 98.7% of the total volatiles. The main constituents were: (E)-β-ocimene (28.5%), (Z)-β-ocimene (11.9%), α-pinene (8.9%), myrcene (8.5%), p-cymene (6.4%), limonene (6.3%), sabinene (6.0%) and α-phellandrene (5.6%). Twenty-six components were in common for both the oil and HS volatiles, which is 77.3% of the oil and 97.1% of the HS sample.