Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Essential Oils of Echinops spinosus and Carlina vulgaris Rich in Polyacetylene Compounds

Abstract

Background: The essential oils of aromatic plants are increasingly used as new biocontrol alternative agents against microbial strains and insect pests of fruits and vegetables, because of their specificity of biodegradable nature. Objective: This work, treats for the first time the chemical composition, antioxidant, antifungal and insecticidal activities of the essential oils obtained from Echinops spinosus and Carlina vulgaris from Algeria. Methods: The chemical compositions of oils were investigated using GC-FID and GC/MS. Antioxidant activity was assessed using three methods (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and β-carotene assay). Fumigation toxicity of E. spinosus and C. vulgaris essential oils was tested against Bactrocera oleae pests of olives. Results: Eighteen and thirteen components representing 95.4 and 97.9% were identified in root essential oils from Echinops spinosus and Carlina vulgaris, respectively. Polyacetylenes were the majority compounds of essential oils. 5.(But-1-yn-3-enyl).2,2′.bithiophene and α-terthienyle were highly dominants in the E. spinosus essential oil from the roots (54.4 and 26.3%, respectively). Roots of C. vulgaris produce an essential oil dominated by carlina oxide (33.7%) and 13-methoxy carlina oxide (11.5%). Comparison of the antioxidant activity of E. spinosus essential oil showed more important antioxidant effect than C. vulgaris essential oil and the synthetic antioxidant (BHT). Evaluation of the antifungal activity showed an interesting efficiency of both essential oils against P. expansum and A. niger with EC50s varied from 5 to 14.5 mg/L. C. arvensis essential oil exhibited good larvicidal properties. At the concentration of 325 μL/L air, the oil caused mortality of 100% for Bactrocera Oleae adults after 24 h of exposure. Conclusion: Both essential oils rich to polyacetylenes and polythiophenes.components have shown interesting biological activities, which suggests that plants have the potential to be used as biopesticides and provide an alternative to chemical pesticides.

Comprehensive Evaluation of the Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Carlina acaulis L. Essential Oil and Its Nanoemulsion

“…Some studies on the antibacterial and antifungal properties of this plant have been reported, showing promising activities not only against K. pneumoniae and E. coli [ 13 ], but also against S. pyogenes and P. aeruginosa [ 14 ]. This plant was also reported to be effective against some fungal strains, such as P. expansum and A. niger [ 11 ], C. albicans , and C. glabrata [ 13 , 14 ].…”

“…Moreover, several studies report the activity of this plant against different microorganisms. For instance, Kernóczi et al [ 10 ] reported a moderate activity against some Gram-positive bacteria, while Belabbes et al [ 11 ] reported an antifungal activity of the EO against Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus niger . The antimicrobial activity of the EO and decoction obtained from the roots was also significant against Staphylococcus aureus [ 12 ].…”

Hemisyntheses and In-silico Study of New Analogues of Carlina Oxide from Carthamus Caeruleus Roots

“…Carlina oxide is an acetylenic compound which was isolated for the first time from Carlina accaulis by Semmler in 1902 [14] and its correct structure was proposed by Gilman van ess and Burtner in 1933 [15]. Subsequently, it has been confirmed that Carlina oxide is present in the chemical composition of several extracts and essential oils of plants belonging to the Asteraceae family, it is present mainly in the essential oil of Carlina accaulis [14][15][16], Carlina acanthifolia [17], Carlina diae [18], Carlina vulgaris [19],…”

“…Several studies have been conducted on the different biological activities provided by this compound which has shown very promising antimicrobial, antitrypanosmal, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer and antioxidant activities [19][20][21][22][23][24]. On the other hand, the study by Benelli et al [25] showed that carlina oxide exhibits a certain non-selective cytotoxicity towards normal human dermis cells and tumor cell lines.…”

Synthesis of Carlina Oxide Analogues and Evaluation of Their Insecticidal Efficacy and Cytotoxicity

“…The use of conventional insecticides has an enormous impact, boosting food production and contributing significantly to the improvement of human health, including the reduction of the onset of vector-borne diseases. , However, the misuse and overuse of insecticides led to several negative consequences such as the accumulation in food, water, and soil, the development of pesticide resistance, and nontarget effects on human health and the ecosystem. − In this context, botanical insecticides represent innovative and safe alternatives to conventional products due to their promising efficacy on a wide spectrum of vectors and agricultural pests and their moderate to low impact on the environment, as well as on human and animal health. − However, the limited supply of the raw material from botanical sources may lead to exploring alternative routes for obtaining these insecticidal agents. Carlina acaulis L. is a medicinal plant belonging to the Asteraceae (Compositae) family and native to the calcareous soils of southern and central Europe with documented biological activities. − Its root essential oil (EO) is characterized by the predominance (>95%) of 2-(3-phenylprop-1-ynyl)­furan, commonly known as carlina oxide ( 1 ) …”