Nassim Djabou

Chemical and genetic differentiation of Corsican subspecies of Teucrium flavum L.

Corsica Island exhibited the particularity to display Teucrium flavum subsp. glaucum and subsp. flavum on the same territory with the same bioclimatic conditions. For the first time, volatile components extracted from aerial parts and genetic diversity of both Corsican T. flavum L. subspecies have been investigated through (i) the characterization of the chemical composition of essential oils and (ii) the study of three polymorphic genetic markers. Chemical analysis were performed using combination of capillary GC/RI, GC-MS after fractionation on column chromatography and the definition of the genetic structure were carried out using two chlororoplast markers (RPL32-TRNL and TRNL-F) and ribosomal nuclear markers (ITS region). According to statistical analysis, both subspecies were clearly distinguished by the chemical and genetic studies. Chemical compositions of oils from both subspecies were qualitatively similar but they differed by the normalized% abundances of their major components; oils from subsp. flavum were dominated by large amounts of hydrocarbon monoterpenes while oils obtained from subsp. glaucum were characterized by higher amounts of oxygenated compounds. The genetic analysis divided T. flavum L. populations in two groups, the first displayed subsp. glaucum populations and the latter group exhibited subsp. flavum populations. The presence of two groups is weakly consistent with chemical differentiation. These data suggest that the differences in the volatile composition of the two T. flavum subspecies depends more on the genetic background and less on environmental factors.

Chemical and genetic diversity of two Mediterranean subspecies of Teucrium polium L.

Chemical and genetic diversity of Teucrium polium L. subsp. polium from western Algeria and T. polium L. subsp. capitatum from Corsica were investigated. Diversity within and among the two populations of subspecies was assessed according to the chemical composition of their essential oils and the genetic diversity. Chemical analysis was performed using a combination of capillary GC-RI and GC/MS after fractionation using column chromatography. Genetic structures were mapped using three polymorphic genetic markers: two chloroplast markers (RPL32-TRNL and TRNL-F) and ribosomal nuclear markers (ITS region). The statistical analysis showed that both subspecies were clearly distinguished by these chemical and genetic markers. The oil chemical compositions differed qualitatively and quantitatively between the subspecies. Both collective oils were dominated by hydrocarbon compounds however the Algerian sample oils exhibited higher amounts of hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes than those of Corsica (31.2 g/100 g vs. 4.4 g/100 g) while the latter displayed higher amounts of hydrocarbon monoterpenes than the first (59.3 g/100 g vs. 34.3 g/100 g). Neighbor-joining, Maximum likelihood and Bayesian trees constructed from chloroplast markers and nuclear ITS region sequences showed the existence of two groups associated with taxonomic and chemical characteristics. The study indicated that variation in the essential oil composition within subspecies depends on genetic background. The samples of subsp. capitatum from Corsica are a homogeneous group, in contrast to samples of subsp. polium from Algeria which were clustered in two groups. Chemical and genetic diversity of Algerian populations could be explained by geographical isolation of the populations. In addition, the morphological polymorphism observed throughout the colour of flowers could be explained by environmental parameters as well as the soil pH.

Characterization of volatile compounds of Daucus crinitus Desf. Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction as alternative technique to Hydrodistillation

BackgroundTraditionally, the essential oil of aromatic herbs is obtained using hydrodistillation (HD). Because the emitted volatile fraction plays a fundamental role in a plants life, various novel techniques have been developed for its extraction from plants. Among these, headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) can be used to obtain a rapid fingerprint of a plants headspace. Daucus crinitus Desf. is a wild plant that grows along the west coast of Algeria. Only a single study has dealt with the chemical composition of the aerial part oils of Algerian D. crinitus, in which isochavicol isobutyrate (39.0%), octyl acetate (12.3%), and β-caryophyllene (5.4%) were identified. Using GC-RI and GC-MS analysis, the essential oils and the volatiles extracted from separated organs of D. crinitus Desf. were studied using HS-SPME.ResultsGC-RI and GC-MS analysis identified 72 and 79 components in oils extracted using HD and in the volatile fractions extracted using SPME, respectively. Two types of essential oils were produced by the plant: the root oils had aliphatic compounds as the main component (87.0%-90.1%), and the aerial part oils had phenylpropanoids as the main component (43.1%-88.6%). HS-SPME analysis showed a more precise distribution of compounds in the organs studied: oxygenated aliphatic compounds were well represented in the roots (44.3%-84.0%), hydrocarbon aliphatic compounds were in the leaves and stems (22.2%-87.9%), and phenylpropanoids were in the flowers and umbels (47.9%-64.2%). Moreover, HS-SPME allowed the occurrence of isochavicol (29.6 - 34.7%) as main component in D. crinitus leaves, but it was not detected in the oils, probably because of its solubility in water.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that HD and HS-SPME modes could be complimentary extraction techniques in order to obtain the complete characterization of plant volatiles.

Biological activities and volatile constituents of Daucus muricatus L. from Algeria

BackgroundIn order to find new bioactive natural products, the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oil components extracted from the separated organs of the Algerian medicinal and aromatic plant Daucus muricatus L. were studied.ResultsThe chemical composition of essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) was investigated using Gas Chromatography–Retention Indices (GC-RI) and GC–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Two types of essential oils were produced by D. muricatus: (i) The oil from roots is mainly composed by nonterpenic oxygenated compounds (59.8 g/100 g), and (ii) the aerial part oils (i.e., the leaves, stems, flowers, and umbels) was mainly composed by terpenic hydrocarbon compounds (62.3–72.2 g/100 g). The chemical composition of the volatile fraction isolated from different organs of Daucus muricatus were studied by HS–SPME/GC–RI and GC–MS after optimization of Solid Phase MicroExtraction parameters. For all organs studied, the main volatiles emitted by the plant were hydrocarbon compounds (60.7–82.2 g/100 g). Only quantitative differences between the volatiles of the separated organs studied were observed. In addition, the activity of the oil of D. muricatus against eight bacterial strains and one yeast was investigated. The oil from roots revealed active against S. aureus, while the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts was active against the yeast C. albicans.ConclusionsDaucus muricatus essential oil seems be a promising source of natural products with potential antimicrobial activity.

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Pinus halepensis Miller growing in West Northern of Algeria

Objective: To find new bioactive natural products, the chemical composition and to sudy the antibacterial activity of essential oil components extracted from the aerial parts of the Algerian aromatic plant Pinus halepensis Miller (P. halepensis) (needles, twigs and buds). Methods: The essential oil used in this study was isolated by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus according to the European Pharmacopoeia. The chemical composition was investigated using GC-retention indices (RI) and GC-MS. Results: Forty-nine compounds, representing 97.9% of the total collective oil, were identified. Essential oil was dominated by hydrocarbon compounds (80.6%) especially monoterpenes (65.5%). The major compounds from ten oils stations were: myrcene (15.2%-32.0%), α-pinene (12.2%- 24.5%), E-β-caryophyllene (7.0%-17.1%), terpinolene (1.8%-13.3%), 2-phenyl ethyl isovalerate (4.8%-10.9%), terpinene-4-ol (1.0%-8.2 %) and sabinene (1.5%-6.3%). The intra-species variations of the chemical compositions of P. halepensis aerial parts essential oils from ten Algerian sample locations were investigated using statistical analysis. Essential oil samples were clustered in 2 groups by hierarchical cluster analysis, according to their chemical composition. The essential oil revealed an interesting antimicrobial effect against Lysteria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumanii, Citrobacter freundii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Conclusions: These results suggest that the essential oil from P. halepensis may be a new potential source as natural antimicrobial applied in pharmaceutical and food industries.

Chemical and genetic differentiation of two Mediterranean subspecies of Teucrium scorodonia L.

Chemical and genetic diversity of Teucrium scorodonia L. subsp. scorodonia from Corsica and T. scorodonia L. subsp. baeticum from western Algeria were investigated. Diversity within and among the two populations of subspecies was assessed according to the chemical composition of their essential oils, and genetic diversity was evaluated using three polymorphic genetic markers. Chemical analysis was performed using a combination of capillary GC-RI and GC/MS after fractionation using column chromatography. Genetic structures were mapped using two chloroplast markers (RPL32-TRNL and TRNL-F) and ribosomal nuclear markers (ITS region). The statistical analysis showed that the two subspecies were clearly distinguished by these chemical and genetic markers. The chemical composition of oil differed qualitatively and quantitatively between the subspecies. Corsican oil samples contained germacrene B (4.2-8.8%) and γ-elemene (2.6-5.7%), which were not detected in Algerian oil samples. The oils of the scorodonia and baeticum subspecies were dominated by sesquiterpene hydrocarbon compounds (75.6-82.9% and 69.6-79.4%, respectively), but they differed in oxygenated sesquiterpene content (3.1-8.9% and 8.4-20.3%, respectively). Neighbor-joining trees constructed from chloroplast DNA and ITS region sequences showed the existence of two groups associated with taxonomic and chemical characteristics. One group consisted of T. scorodonia subsp. scorodonia and the other of T. scorodonia subsp. baeticum, indicating that variation in the essential oil composition of T. scorodonia subspecies depends more on genetic background than environmental characteristics.

Antimicrobial activity and evolution of the composition of essential oil from Algerian Anacyclus pyrethrum L. through the vegetative cycle

Essential oils from the aerial parts of Anacyclus pyrethrum L. were analysed at three developmental stages (vegetative, floral budding and flowering). Oil yield was found to vary depending on the stage of development, and the highest content of oil (0.019% w/w) was obtained at flowering stage. The chemical composition of essential oils studied by GC and GC–MS showed a total of 91 compounds. Whatever the analysed stage is, oxygenated sesquiterpenes were the most abundant group. Their level significantly increased during ripening and varied from 37.1% to 58.6%. The oil showed activity against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria strains. Thus, they represent an inexpensive source of natural antibacterial substances that may potentially be used in pathogenic systems.

Assessment of in vitro antimicrobial potency and free radical scavenging capacity of the essential oil and ethanol extract of Calycotome villosa subsp. intermedia growing in Algeria

Abstract Objective To assess the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the essential oil and ethanol extract of the aerial parts of Calycotome villosa subsp. intermedia growing in the West Northern region of Algeria. Methods Chemical composition of essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from areal parts of Calycotome villosa subsp. intermedia was investigated using gas chromatography (retention indices) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry while the antimicrobial activities were determinate by paper disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration assays tested against four bacterial strains and one yeast and antioxidant activity was evaluated as a free radical scavenging capacity (RSC). Results Essential oils were dominated by non-terpenic compounds and fatty acids. However, the phenylpropanoids, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes components were only present in small percentages. The most important antibacterial activity of essential oil was expressed on Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhimurium . Antioxidant activity was evaluated as a RSC. RSC was assessed by measuring the scavenging activity of essential oil and ethanol extract on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH). Investigated ethanol extract reduced the DPPH radical formation (IC 50 =68 μg/mL). Conclusion Results in this experiment indicate that the essential oil and the ethanol extract display antibacterial activity against two Gram-positive bacteria and activity to a lesser extent against two Gram-negative species. They may be a new potential source of components, which are likely to have impact on human health.

Chemical Composition Variability of Essential Oils of Daucus gracilis Steinh. from Algeria

The chemical compositions of 20 Algerian Daucus gracilis essential oils were investigated using GC‐FID, GC/MS, and NMR analyses. Altogether, 47 compounds were identified, accounting for 90 – 99% of the total oil compositions. The main components were linalool (18; 12.5 – 22.6%), 2‐methylbutyl 2‐methylbutyrate (20; 9.2 – 20.2%), 2‐methylbutyl isobutyrate (10; 4.2 – 12.2%), ammimajane (47; 2.6 – 37.1%), (E)‐β‐ocimene (15; 0.2 – 12.8%) and 3‐methylbutyl isovalerate (19; 3.3 – 9.6%). The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained from separate organs was also studied. GC and GC/MS analysis of D. gracilis leaves and flowers allowed identifying 47 compounds, amounting to 92.3% and 94.1% of total oil composition, respectively. GC and GC/MS analysis of D. gracilis leaf and flower oils allowed identifying linalool (22.7%), 2‐methylbutyl 2‐methylbutyrate (18.9%), 2‐methylbutyl isovalerate (13.6%), ammimajane (10.4%), 3‐methylbutyl isovalerate (10.3%), (E)‐β‐ocimene (8.4%) and isopentyl 2‐methylbutyrate (8.1%) as main components. The chemical variability of the Algerian oil samples was studied using statistical analysis, which allowed the discrimination of three main Groups. A direct correlation between the altitudes, nature of soils and the chemical compositions of the D. gracilis essential oils was evidenced.

Daucus carota ssp. hispanicus Gouan. essential oils: chemical variability and fungitoxic activity

The chemical composition of Algerian Daucus carota ssp. hispanicus Gouan. essential oils has been investigated using gas chromatography/retention indices (GC/RIs) and GC–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and their antibacterial and antifungal activities were tested for the first time. Chemical analysis allowed the identification of sixty-eight compounds amounting to 92.3–98.5% of aerial part essential oils and eight components representing 97.4–99.4% of root essential oils. Intra-species variations of the chemical compositions of essential oils from ten Algerian sample locations were investigated using statistical analysis (principal component analysis and cluster analysis). In addition, root essential oils of D. carota ssp. hispanicus were found to be strongly fungicidal and inhibitory to aflatoxin production.