Carola S. de Heluani

Comparative study of chemical composition and antioxidant activity of fresh and dry rhizomes of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.).

The phytoconstituents of essential oil and ethanol oleoresin of fresh and dry rhizomes of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.) were analyzed by GC-MS. The major constituents were aromatic-turmerone (24.4%), alpha-turmerone (20.5%) and beta-turmerone (11.1%) in fresh rhizome and aromatic-turmerone (21.4%), alpha-santalene (7.2%) and aromatic-curcumene (6.6%) in dry rhizome oil. Whereas, in oleoresins, the major components were alpha-turmerone (53.4%), beta-turmerone (18.1%) and aromatic-turmerone (6.2%) in fresh and aromatic-turmerone (9.6%), alpha-santalene (7.8%) and alpha-turmerone (6.5%) in dry rhizome. Results showed that alpha-turmerone, a major component in fresh rhizomes is only minor one in dry rhizomes. Also, the content of beta-turmerone in dry rhizomes is less than a half amount found in fresh rhizomes. The antioxidant properties have been assessed by various lipid peroxidation assays as well as DPPH radical scavenging and metal chelating methods. The essential oil and ethanol oleoresin of fresh rhizomes have higher antioxidant properties as compared dry ones.

A linear sesterterpene, two squalene derivatives and two peptide derivatives from Croton hieronymi.

Aerial parts of Croton hieronymi furnished in addition to a large number of plant sterols and triterpenes the C-25 analog of trans-phytol, the squalene derivatives all-trans-2,6,15,19,23-pentamethyltetracosa-2,6,10,(28),14,22,28-hexaene-11-ol and all-trans-10-methylene-2,6,10,14,18,22-pentamethyltetracosa-1,6,10,14,18,22-hexaen-3-ol, the sesquiterpenes epicubenol and T-cadinol, the acetophenone derivative xanthoxylin and the peptide derivatives aurentiamide acetate and N-benzoylphenylalanyl-N-benzoylphenylalaninate.

Guaianolides, heliangolides and other constituents from Stevia alpina

Abstract The aerial parts of Stevia alpina afforded in addition to estafietin, dehydroleucodin, achillin, 2-oxo-8-deoxyligustrin and two known heliangolides two new guaianolides, the two epimeric 10(14)-epoxyestafietins, and the new heliangolide 3-acetylpulverolide. The stereochemistry of the new epoxyestafietins was confirmed by X-ray analysis of one of the epimers.

Chemistry and Antioxidant Properties of Essential Oil and Oleoresins Extracted from the Seeds of Tomer (Zanthoxylum armatum DC)

The seeds of Zanthoxylum armatum DC, on hydrodistillation, yielded 1.2% of the essential oil. The oleoresins were extracted by a Soxhlet extractor using ethanol, ethyl acetate, and isopropyl alcohol. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the essential oil resulted in the identification of 38 components, of which linalool (62%) and limonene (18.1%) were the major components. The major components of oleoresins were linoleic acid, palmitoleic acid, and linalool. The antioxidant potential of essential oil and oleoresins were evaluated by 2,2′-diphenyl picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging, Fe2+ chelating, ferric thiocyanate method, and various lipid peroxidation assays. The essential oil showed maximum antioxidant potential, whereas oleoresins showed moderate antioxidant activity. *This article is part 73 in a series on essential oils.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oil and Oleoresins of Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) Fruits

Essential oil and oleoresins (ethanol, ethyl acetate, and iso-propyl alcohol) of Myristica fragrans were extracted by using Clevenger and Soxhlet apparatus, respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of essential oil showed the presence of 38 components representing about 99.6% of the total weight. Sabinene (29.4%) was found to be a major component along with beta pinene (10.6%), alpha pinene (10.1%), terpene-4-ol (9.6%), and several other minor components. The major component of all oleoresins contained elemicin. It has been observed that the essential oil and ethanol oleoresin showed better activity compared to other tested oleoresins and synthetic antioxidants, butylated hydroxyl anisole and butylated hydroxyl toluene. Furthermore, the activity of essential oil and oleoresins was measured for the inhibition of primary and secondary oxidation products in mustard oil by using peroxide, thiobarbituric acid, and p-anisidine values. In addition, these experiments were further supported by other complementary antioxidant assays, such as ferric thiocyanate method in a linoleic acid system, reducing power, chelating effect, and scavenging effects on 1,1′-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical. Hence, the essential oil and ethanol oleoresin of M. fragrans could be considered as a natural food preservative.

Triterpenes and sesquiterpene lactones from Cyclolepis genistoides

Abstract Aerial parts of Cyclolepis genistoides afforded a number of oleananes and ursanes including the new 12α, 13α-epoxyoleanolic acid, lupanes including 3β,30-dihydroxylup-20(29)-ene and the new 28-dihydroxylup-20(29)-en-30-al and the sesquiterpene lactones deacylcynaropicrin, dihydroeleganin and isolippidiol.

Composition and Antibacterial Activity of The Essential Oil of Ammoides atlantica (Coss. et Dur.) Wolf

Abstract In Algerian traditional medicine, the aerial parts of Ammoides atlantica (Coss. et Dur.) Wolf. (Apiaceae) are reported to have a wide range of biological activities such as antibacterial and antidiarrheic activity. The in vitro antibacterial activity of the oil was evaluated by Disc diffusion method against several strains of bacteria, and this activity was shown to be very strong against most of the tested microorganisms, especially Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. The MIC was also carry out and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 (vegetative form) resulted to be the most sensitive microorganism with a MIC value inferior of 6.25 mg/L. The essential oil was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The main components were thymol (53.2%), γ-terpinene (19.4%) and p-cymene (10.6%)