Salim Al-Saidi

Phytochemical Analysis of the Essential Oil from Botanically Certified Oleogum Resin of Boswellia sacra (Omani Luban)

The yield of hydrodistillation of a botanically certified Oleogum Resin of Boswellia sacra essential oil (5.5%); and its chemical constituents were determined. The GC/MS technique was used for the analysis of the oil. Several oil components were identified based upon comparison of their mass spectral data with those of reference compounds published in literature or stored in a computer library. The oil was characterized by the high content of the monoterpenes (34) which constituted 97.3% in which E-β-ocimene and limonene were the major constituents. The remaining 2.7% was accounted for the sesquiterpenes (16) in which the E-caryophyllene was the major constituent. The analysis proved the complete absence of the diterpenes.

Antimicrobial activity and the major components of the essential oil of Plectranthus cylindraceus

Aims:  The traditional uses of the aerial parts of fresh Plectranthus cylindraceus by the Dhofaris in Oman were investigated on the basis of antimicrobial properties and composition of its herb oil.

Supercritical fluids and their applications in biotechnology and related areas

This article serves as an overview, introducing the currently popular area of supercritical fluids (SFs) and their uses in biotechnology and related areas. It covers the fundamentals of supercritical science and moves on to the biotechnological and associated applications of these fluids. Subject areas covered include pure substances as supercritical fluids, the properties of supercritical fluids, organic cosolvents, solubility, and the following applications: extraction, chromatography, reactions, particle production, deposition, and the drying of biological specimens. Within each application, and where possible, the basic principles of the technique are given, as well as a description of the history, instrumentation, methodology, uses, problems encountered, and advantages over the traditional, nonsupercritical methods.

Composition and Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oils of Four Commercial Grades of Omani Luban, the Oleo‐Gum Resin of Boswellia sacraFlueck.

The essential oil compositions of four botanically certified and commercially available samples of Omani lubans (oleo‐gum resins of Boswellia sacra Flueck.), locally known as Hoojri, Najdi, Shathari, and Shaabi in Jibali Arabic, obtained from plants growing in four different geographic locations of the Dhofar region of Oman, were analyzed by GC‐FID, GC/MS, and 13C‐NMR spectroscopy. The market price of these four grades of lubans differed considerably, according to their color, clump size, and texture. However, this study revealed that Hoojri, the first grade luban, and Shaabi, the fourth grade luban, which greatly differed in their price, closely resembled each other in their essential oil composition, yield, and physicochemical characteristics, except the color and texture. The composition, yield, and specific rotation of the oils of Najdi and Shathari, the second and the third grade lubans, respectively, were different from those of Hoojri and Shaabi, but they both had high limonene contents. Najdi oil was different from the other three oils in terms of its high myrcene content. α‐Pinene was the principal component in all the oils and can be considered as a chemotaxonomical marker that confirms the botanical and geographical source of the resins. All the oils showed pronounced activity against a panel of bacteria, and the trend in their bioactivity and their mode of action are discussed.

The Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Stem Bark Essential Oil of Goniothalamus cardiopetalus (Bl.) Hook.f. et Thoms.

Abstract A hydrodistilled oil obtained from the stem bark of Goniothalamus cardiopetalus (Annonaceae) was analyzed by GC/MS. The oil showed a total of 60 components of which 40 compounds representing 67.1% of the oil were identified. Linalool (11.7%), α-pinene (7.0%), trans-pinocarveol (5.2%), caryophyllene oxide (5.0%) -terpineol (4.9%), guaiol (4.4%) camphor (3.9%) and bornyl acetate (3.9%) were found to be the major individual constituents of the oil. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested against a panel of 17 bacterial and six fungal strains by the disc diffusion method. The oil inhibited the growth of all test organisms at varying levels and the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were also determined.

The Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Leaf Essential Oil of Teucrium mascatenses Boiss. from Oman

Abstract A hydrodistilled oil from the leaves of Teucrium mascatense Boiss. was analyzed by GC/MS. Twenty-one components amounting to 91.2% of the oil were identified with linalool (27.8%), linalyl acetate (12.6%) and β-eudesmol (10.1%) being the major constituents of the oil. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested against a panel of 17 bacterial and six fungal strains by the disc diffusion method. The oil inhibited the growth of all test organisms at various levels. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were also determined.