J. Bernáth

Biological Activities of Yarrow Species (Achillea spp.)

The genus Achillea consists of about 140 perennial herbs native to the Northern hemisphere. Traditional indications of their use include digestive problems, liver and gall-bladder conditions, menstrual irregularities, cramps, fever, wound healing. The Commission E approves its internal use for loss of appetite and dyspeptic ailments (gastric catarrh, spastic discomfort), externally it is used in form of sitz bath or as a compress against skin inflammation, slow healing wounds, bacterial or fungal infections. In the last decades, pharmacological studies became intensive, although human clinical investigations are still rare. Recent findings have confirmed several traditional uses. The largest number of data accumulated for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. There are positive results on the analgesic, anti-ulcer, choleretic, hepatoprotective and wound healing activities. First results on other interesting therapeutical areas - antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antitumor, antispermatogenic activities -need confirmation. Yarrow can be used also as an insect repellent. Contact dermatitis as adverse effect may be connected to sesquiterpenes. The diversity and complexity of the effective compounds of yarrow species explains the broad spectrum of their activity. According to the literature the pharmacological effects are mainly due to the essential oil, proazulenes and other sesquiterpene lactones, dicaffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids. Synergistic actions of these and other compounds are also supposed. Achillea species have different chemical and therapeutical values. Despite of numerous data, correct evaluation of the results is difficult because of missing generally accepted taxonomical nomenclature. The used chemical-analytical methods and bio-assays are utmost diverse, making the comparison complicated. Further research on the activity is needed using exactly defined plant material, standardized methods and chemical analysis.

Essential oil yield and composition reflect browsing damage of junipers

The impact of browsing on vegetation depends on the relative density and species composition of browsers. Herbivore density and plant damage can be either site-specific or change seasonally and spatially. For juniper (Juniperus communis) forests of a sand dune region in Hungary, it has been assumed that plant damage investigated at different temporal and spatial scales would reflect selective herbivory. The level of juniper damage was tested for a possible correlation with the concentration of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) in plants and seasonal changes in browsing pressure. Heavily browsed and nonbrowsed junipers were also assumed to differ in their chemical composition, and the spatial distribution of browsing damage within each forest was analyzed to reveal the main browser. Long-term differences in local browsing pressure were also expected and would be reflected in site-specific age distributions of distant juniper populations. The concentrations of PSMs (essential oils) varied significantly among junipers and seasons. Heavily browsed shrubs contained the lowest oil yield; essential oils were highest in shrubs bearing no damage, indicating that PSMs might contribute to reduce browsing in undamaged shrubs. There was a seasonal fluctuation in the yield of essential oil that was lower in the summer period than in other seasons. Gas chromatography (GC) revealed differences in some essential oil components, suggesting that certain chemicals could have contributed to reduced consumption. The consequential long-term changes were reflected in differences in age distribution between distant juniper forests. These results confirm that both the concentration of PSMs and specific compounds of the essential oil may play a role in selective browsing damage by local herbivores.

Essential Oil Composition of Achillea crithmifolia W. et K. 1. Identification of Chemovarieties Grown in Wild Populations

ABSTRACT Under open field and phytotron conditions (in “warm” and “cold” programs) the individuals of four Hungarian wild growing populations of Achillea crithmifolia W. et K. have been studied. According to the main essential oil constituents the populations of the Matra mountain were characterized as “camphor-types,” while those of the Visegradi and Borzsony mountains were characterized as “cineole-types” and “achillenol-types” respectively, although neither one of the populations was homogeneous. Because this chemical difference remained constant under both phytotron conditions, we believe that the differences are genotypic rather than phenotypic. Also, as morphological features of the plants could not be correlated with any characteristic essential oil composition, the plant individuals which possess different main oil components must be examples of real chemotypes. Our observations indicate, however, some changes due to environmental factors as well as ontogenetical stages.

Evaluation of Selected Oregano (Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum Ietswaart) Lines with Traditional Methods and Sensory Analysis

ABSTRACT Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) is an important culinary spice that is utilized worldwide. Because of the large chemical diversity of the species, a selection of oregano lines within O. vulgare L. subsp. hirtum Ietswaart was conducted for eight years to select desirable lines. Based on an evaluation of agronomic and essential oil characteristics, four lines proved to have outstanding characteristics, an erect growth habit and in the second year of culture an accumulation of essential oil that ranged between 6.22 and 6.41 ml/100 g of tissue. The ratio of carva-crol exceeded 80 percent with no trace of thymol. Because the aroma of the herb lends it commercial importance and it is highly appreciated by the commodity traders in essential oil, an electronic nose (NST-3320, AppliedSensor Sweden AB) was used to discriminate selected lines. The sensory analysis proved to be an appropriate tool for identification of cultivars and may have the potential to accelerate the selection process.

Chemotypes and their stability in Achillea crithmifolia W. et K. populations.

Abstract The chemotype composition of Achillea crithmifolia populations were studied in selfed and crossed progenies in order to gain information on their genetical background, with special respect to the main essential oil components: camphor, 1,8-cineole and borneol. Distilled flower oils of individual samples of the original population, 36 self-pollinated progenies (1-1, 1-2, 1-3), 25 F-1 and 44 F-2 hybrid generations were analyzed by GC. Camphor and borneol proved to be present in each sample, while 1,8-cineole was missing only in 0.17% of them. Based on the results, a quantitative description of the main chemotypes (camphoraceous, cineolic and mixed) was given. In the established progenies, the proportion of the chemotypes varied according to the mother plants and breeding method. The segregation reveals that each of the mother plants possessed a heterozygotic structure for genes regulating the level of the main compounds. Further, the same chemotype detectable as a phenotype might exist on the basis of a different genotypical background. The correlation system of the three monoterpenes was in harmony with these findings and the accepted biochemical models of their synthesis. It was concluded that a homogenous chemical constitution in the populations might be obtained only after several years inbreeding, and the examined compositional traits should be treated in breeding like quantitative features of polygenic determination.

Quantitative and qualitative studies of essential oils of hungarian Achillea populations

ABSTRACT A sample of 23 indigenous Achillea collina Becker populations originating from different Hungarian habitats were evaluated concerning essential oil content and composition. Plants that were 2 years old and propagated from seeds of the wild growing populations had been investigated in 2003. The essential oil content of the flowers fluctuated between 0.07 and 1.77% DW. The examined oil samples of A. collina are typical sesquiterpene-type oils (with exceptions of borneol and α-terpineol 0.5–18.4%). The major component of each population was chamazulene (30–67% of the flower oils and 28–68% of the leaf oils). Further main components have been β-caryophyllene (2–17%) and β-cubebene (1–9%). Significant, positive correlations between the essential oil content of flowers and leaves (r = 0.41), content of chamazulene of flower and leaf oils (r = 0.85), and content of caryophyllene of flower and leaf oils (r = 0.58) were established. The characteristic components of the oils are not in connection with the original habitat. Also, individuals of the same population may differ both in their potential of essential oil accumulation level and its composition. Although some strains seems to be rather homogeneous (CV < 0.1), others give a considerably varying quality. The best strains had been nominated for cultivar development.

Both Gas Chromatography and an Electronic Nose Reflect Chemical Polymorphism of Juniper Shrubs Browsed or Avoided by Sheep

Chemical polymorphism may contribute to variation in browsing damage by mammalian herbivores. Earlier, we demonstrated that essential oil concentration in juniper, Juniperus communis, was negatively associated with herbivore browsing. The aim of the present study was to characterize the volatile chemical composition of browsed and non-browsed J. communis. By using either gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) or an electronic nose device, we could separate sheep-browsed or non-browsed juniper shrubs by their essential oil pattern and complex odor matrix. The main components of the essential oil from J. communis were monoterpenes. We distinguished three chemotypes, dominated either by α-pinene, sabinene, or δ-3-carene. Shrubs belonging to the α-pinene- or sabinene-dominated groups were browsed, whereas all individuals with the δ-3-carene chemotype were unused by the local herbivores. The electronic nose also separated the browsed and non-browsed shrubs indicating that their odor matrix could guide sheep browsing. Responses of sheep could integrate the post-ingestive effects of plant secondary metabolites with sensory experience that stems from odor–phytotoxin interactions. Chemotype diversity could increase the survival rate in the present population of J. communis as certain shrubs could benefit from relatively better chemical protection against the herbivores.