Lamia Hamrouni

Chemical composition, phytotoxic and antifungal activities of Pinus pinea essential oil

The chemical composition of essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Tunisian Pinus pinea Linn. was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Sixty-six compounds were identified, representing 98.5% of total oil, which was found to be rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons (73.1%) particularly limonene (54.1%), α-pinene (7.7%), and β-pinene (3.4%). The yield and the physico-chemical properties were determined. Results of the antifungal activity study by in vitro contact assay showed that P. pinea oil significantly inhibited the growth of ten plant pathogenic fungi. Moreover, herbicidal properties of the oil, tested on Sinapis arvensis L., Lolium rigidum Gaud., and Raphanus raphanistrum L., indicated that the oil completely inhibited the seed germination at a high concentration, while at low doses the oil acted by decreasing and delaying the germination and inhibiting the seedling growth of all tested weeds unlike the commercial herbicide. Our results showed that P. pinea essential oil could be valorized as bioproduct for biocontrol of weeds and fungal plant diseases.

Chemical composition, physico-chemical properties, antifungal and herbicidal activities of Pinus halepensis Miller essential oils

The chemical composition, physico-chemical properties, and antifungal and herbicidal activities of essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from needles, stems and cones of Pinus halepensis Miller were investigated. The chemical composition analysed by GC and GC/MS varied significantly among organs. Among the 67 identified components, α-pinene (63% and 51.7%, respectively, in stems and cones) and (Z)-caryophyllene (33.9% in needles) were found to be the major ones. Moreover, it was found that chemical composition of essential oils extracted from different organs of P. halepensis Miller growing in Tunisia showed noteworthy differences with the same species cultivated in Algeria, Morocco, Greece and Italy based on a comparison with published results. In addition, the physico-chemical properties of essential oils from different organs of P. halepensis were analysed. The analysis of the refraction index, density and acid index of different oil samples showed a weak variability among organs. The in vitro antifungal activity of the essential oil samples evaluated against 10 cultivated crop fungi was found to be low, probably due to the low level of oxygenated compounds in P. halepensis oils. In contrast, the herbicidal activity investigated towards three common weeds in Tunisian cereal crops was very strong and seed germination was inhibited at 2 μl ml− 1. Thus, P. halepensis essential oil appears to have more value as a bioherbicide than as a biofungicide.

Comparative study of two coniferous species (Pinus pinaster Aiton and Cupressus sempervirens L. var. dupreziana [A. Camus] Silba) essential oils: chemical composition and biological activity

Maritime pine ( Pinus pinaster Aiton) and Saharan cypress ( Cupressus sempervirens L. var. dupreziana [A. Camus] Silba) are two cone-bearing seed coniferous woody plants. The chemical composition of their essential oils, isolated from needles and leaves by hydrodistillation, was analyzed with gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A total of 66 and 28 compounds were identified, which represented 99.5% and 98.9% of total pine and cypress oils, respectively. Pinus pinaster oil was found to be rich in α-pinene (31.4%), (Z)-caryophyllene (28%), and α-humulene (6.7%); it was characterized by relatively high amounts of monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (44.5% and 46.3%, respectively). The major components identified in cypress oil were manoyl oxide (34.7%), α-pinene (31.8%), α-humulene (9%), and 6-3-carene (8.7%). Results of in vitro antifungal test assays showed that both oils significantly inhibit the growth of 10 plant pathogenic fungi. Herbicidal effects of the oils on seed germination, seed vigor, and seedling growth of three common crop weeds Sinapis arvensis L., Phalaris paradoxa L., and Raphanus raphanistrum L. were also determined; the oils completely inhibited seed germination and seedling growth of all the weeds.

Essential oil composition, phytotoxic and antifungal activities of Ruta chalepensis L. leaves from High Atlas Mountains (Morocco)

This study aimed at the determination of chemical composition of essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation, and to evaluate their phytotoxic and antifungal activities. Leaves of Ruta chalepensis L. were collected from the region of Tensift Al Haouz (High Atlas Mountains) Marrakech, Morocco. The essential oil (oil yield is 0.56%) was analysed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Twenty-two compounds were identified and accounted for 92.4% of the total oil composition. The major components were undecan-2-one (49.08%), nonan-2-one (33.15%), limonene (4.19%) and decanone (2.71%). Antifungal ability of essential oils was tested by disc agar diffusion against five plant pathogenic fungi: Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium pseudograminearum, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium polyphialidicum. The oils were also tested in vitro for herbicidal activity by determining their influence on the germination and the shoot and root growth of two weed species, Triticum durum and Phalaris canariensis L.

Chemical composition, phytotoxic and antifungal properties of Ruta chalepensis L. essential oils.

The chemical composition, and phytotoxic and antifungal activities of the essential oils isolated by using hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Tunisian rue were evaluated. Significant variations were observed among harvest periods. The analysis of the chemical composition by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry showed that 2-undecanone (33.4–49.8%), 2-heptanol acetate (13.5–15.4%) and α-pinene (9.8–11.9%) were the main components. The antifungal ability of rue essential oils was tested by using disc agar diffusion against ten plant pathogenic fungi. A high antifungal activity was observed for the essential oil isolated at flowering developmental phase. Furthermore, rue essential oils showed high level of herbicidal activity against several weeds.

Propriétés antifongiques des huiles essentielles de Biota orientalis L.

RésuméLa composition chimique des huiles essentielles d’aiguilles et de cônes de Biota orientalis L. extraites par hydrodistillation a été analysée par chromatographie gazeuse associée à une détection à ionisation de flamme (CG-DIF) et par chromatographie gazeuse couplée à la spectrométrie de masse (CG-SM). Vingt et un composés ont été identifiés chez l’huile essentielle de Biota orientalis, qui s’est avérée particulièrement riche en monoterpènes hydrocarbonés. Des différences quantitatives principalement ont été observées entre les aiguilles et les cônes, quoiqu’ils affichent le même chémotype. Pour les deux huiles, α-pinène (67 et 47 % respectivement chez les cônes et les aiguilles), β-phellandrène (5,1 et 10,9 %) et α-cédrol (4,6 et 7,5 %) constituent les composés majeurs identifiés. L’étude de leur activité antifongique vis-à-vis d’une dizaine de champignons phytopathogènes a révélé des propriétés intéressantes qui pourraient être valorisées en tant que biofongicide.AbstractThe chemical composition of essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from needles and cones of Biota orientalis L. was analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Twenty one compounds were identified in Biota orientalis essential oil which appeared to be rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons. Quantitative differences mainly, between cone and needle oils, were observed, although they displayed the same chemotype. For both oils, α-pinene (67 and 47% respectively in cones and needles), β-phellandrene (5.1 and 10.9%) and α-cedrol (4.6 and 7.5%) were the major constituents. The study of their antifungal activity towards ten plants pathogenic fungi revealed interesting properties that could be applied as biofungicide.

Activity antifungal of the essential oils; aqueous and ethanol extracts from Citrus aurantium L.

Our study is about the essential oil of Citrus aurantium L. in Tunisia and its plant extract. The yield of this essential oil is 0, 56% but the yield of the extract of plant was 17.1% for the aqueous extract ant 18.3% for the ethanolic extract. The analysis of chemical composition by using GC and GC/MS showed the essential oil of C. aurantium L. species to be rich in monoterpenes such as α-terpineol, lianolyl acetate, linalool and limonene. The antifungal activity of this oil showed us an inhibition of the germination of mushrooms, in the same way we could note that the biologic activities are generally assigned to the chemotypes high content in oxygenated monoterpene.

Essential oils as biological alternatives to protect date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) against Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

The aims of this research were to determine the chemical composition of the essential oil of three Tunisian plants and to evaluate their biological activity against eggs, larvae, and adult insects of Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller. The essential oils extracted from leaves of Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmanns. & Link, Rosmarinus officinalis L. and needles of Pinus halepensis Mill. were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; 34, 16, and 56 constituents were identified, respectively. The major constituents were (Z)-caryophyllene (23.8%), β-myrcene (20.5%) and α-pinene (13.3%) in P. halepensis oil, carvacrol (66.9%), p-cymene (9.1%), and δ-terpinene (6.2%) in T. capitatus oil and 1,8-cineole (47.5%), camphor (14.9%), α-pinene (14.1%), and borneol (13.1%) in R. officinalis oil. The insecticidal effects of essential oils on eggs, larvae, and adults of E. ceratoniae were investigated. Ovicidal activity of oils was studied by spray on eggs while larvicidal and adulticidal activities were assessed by fumigation and spray. Number of hatched eggs was verified after 10 d, larva and adult mortalities were observed after 6, 12, and 24 h. Globally, eggs and larvae were the most resistant to the three different oils, needing higher doses to obtain a higher mortality. The spray method was most effective than fumigation. Essential oil extracted from T. capitatus proved to be very toxic towards E. ceratoniae on all three phases at the dose of 20 μL mL-1 (100% inhibition), followed by the oil from R. officinalis (90-100% inhibition), nevertheless, weak activity was obtained with P. halepensis oil (68.3-85% inhibition). Results obtained may suggest that the essential oils of T. capitatus and R. officinalis possess high insecticidal activity and therefore, can be used in biotechnological application as natural preservative in stored dates and could be useful in managing populations of E. ceratoniae in field.

Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Tunisian Cupressus arizonica Greene Essential Oils

The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of leaves, stems, and female cones of Cupressus arizonica Greene, grown in Tunisia, was studied by GC‐FID and GC/MS analyses. Altogether, 62 compounds were identified, 62 in the leaf oil, 19 in the cone oil, and 24 in the stem oil. The cone and stem oils were mainly composed by monoterpene hydrocarbons (96.6 and 85.2%, resp.). In the leaf oil, the total sesquiterpene fraction constituted 36.1% and that of the monoterpene hydrocarbons 33.8% of the total oil composition. The three oils were evaluated for their in vitro herbicidal activity by determining their influence on the germination and the shoot and root growth of the four weed species Sinapis arvensis L., Lolium rigidum Gaudin, Trifolium campestre Schreb., and Phalaris canariensis L. At the highest doses tested (0.8 and 1.0 mg/ml), the leaf essential oil inhibited either totally or almost completely the seed germination and the shoot and root growth of S. arvensis and T. campestre. The oils were also tested for their antifungal activity; however, their effects on the fungal growth were statistically not significant.

Notes ethnobotanique et phytopharmacologique sur Melia azedarach L.

RésuméLe faux neem (Melia azedarach L. 1753), lilas de Perse ou grand lilas est un arbre appartenant à la famille des Méliacées. Originaire d’Asie, il est actuellement utilisé en tant qu’arbre de reboisement en Chine, en Inde, en Amérique du Sud et centrale. Cette méliacée est connue mondialement par sa qualité phytosanitaire, ainsi que ses vertus médicinales et thérapeutiques très intéressantes vu les activités pharmacologiques des composés phytochimiques présents dans les extraits de la plante (tanins, alcaloïdes…). Particulièrement, elle est connue en médecine traditionnelle pour ses propriétés astringente, fébrifuge et vermifuge. De sa propriété insecticide découle l’utilisation des feuilles fraîches en protection des végétaux et dans la lutte contre les insectes parasites de l’homme et des volailles. Outre ces multiples possibilités d’utilisation, le faux neem est un arbre d’ébénisterie de bonne qualité et demandé par l’industrie de menuiserie.Abstract“False Neem” (Melia azedarach L. 1753), Persian lilac or large lilac is a plant belonging to the family of Meliaceae. It is of Asian origin and actually is used in reforestation in China, in India, in South and Central America. It is known throughout the world for its fertilizer and herbicide quality as well as its medicinal therapeutic virtues very interesting such as the pharmacological activities of the phytochemical compounds founded in the extracts of the plant (alkaloids, tannins…). Particularly, this tree is known in traditional medicine for its astringent, antipyretic and anthelmintic properties. The use of its fresh leaves in plant protection export and man and poultry pest control derived from its insecticidal property. Apart from the many scopes for its use, False Neem is a quality tree for cabinet work.