Chemical variability and antioxidant activity of Eryngium maritimum L. essential oils from Corsica and Sardinia

Abstract

The chemical compositions of Corsican and Sardinian Eryngium maritimum L. essential oils were investigated using column chromatography, gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in electron impact mode. Sixty‐three compounds were identified accounting for 85.8–95.7% of the total amount. With germacrene D (13.7–45.9%), three uncommon oxygenated sesquiterpenes, 4βH‐cadin‐9‐en‐15‐al (18.4–27.6%), 4βH‐cadin‐9‐en‐15‐ol (2.2–14.3%) and 4βH‐muurol‐9‐en‐15‐al (4.3–9.3%), were identified as main components of the essential oils obtained from the plant aerial parts. Relative to these, essential oils from the roots differed drastically with high contents of 2,4,5‐trimethylbenzaldehyde (39.8%), 2,3,6‐trimethylbenzaldehyde (29.0%) and α‐muurolene (23.5%). The chemical variability of Corsican and Sardinian E. maritimum essential oils was studied using statistical analysis. A direct correlation between the island of origin of the sample essential oils and their chemical compositions was assessed. Corsican essential oils exhibited higher amounts of hydrocarbon terpenes than Sardinian samples. Relative to other Eryngium species, Corsican and Sardinian E. maritimum essential oils exhibited original compositions with sesquiterpene aldehydes. These compounds, together with total essential oil, were tested for antioxidant properties using the DPPH and ABTS radical‐scavenging activity tests. No meaningful activity could be attributed to sesquiterpene aldehydes and the corresponding alcohols but the total essential oil and the oxygenated fraction of E. maritimum both demonstrated strong antioxidant properties. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cytotoxic Essential Oils from Eryngium campestre and Eryngium amethystinum (Apiaceae) Growing in Central Italy

“…[36] Ledol is a tertiary sesquiterpene alcohol reported for the first time in marsh rosemary (Ledum palustre L.), [37] and also extracted from the bark extracts of Calophyllum teysmannii MIQ. [16] More in detail, if we compare these compositions with those previously reported for the same species growing in other regions, some discrepancies can be noticed. [39] The sesquiterpene alcohol spathulenol has been reported as one of the immunomodulatory compounds occurring in Salvia mirzayanii RECH.f.…”

“…[28] Its abundance in Apiaceae [29] and Eryngium [16] essential oils was already documented. [28] Its abundance in Apiaceae [29] and Eryngium [16] essential oils was already documented.…”

“…[16] In the present work, our attention has been paid on the 'amethyst eryngo' (E. amethystinum L.) and the 'field eryngo' (E. campestre L.) spontaneously growing in central Italy. Germacrene D, bicyclogermacrene, cmuurolene, and (E)-caryophyllene are often reported as the main volatile components.…”

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil from Aerial Parts and Roots of Eryngium barrelieri Boiss. and Eryngium glomeratum Lam. from Tunisia

“…In most cases, non‐terpenic compounds, especially trimethylbenzaldehyde, linear aldehydes and acids were reported as the major components of the oils in this genus in varying degrees of relative abundance . Less frequently, terpenic hydrocarbon compounds such as phyllocladene, α ‐pinene and germacrene D have been reported. To our knowledge, the predominance of terpene alcohols or oxides is more unusual within this genus ( e.g .…”

“…The essential oils extracted from this genus so far have exhibited wide variability in their major compounds, the most commonly encountered ones being sesquiterpenes such as α ‐bisabolol, α ‐muurolene and germacrene D; and non‐terpenic oxygenated compounds such as trimethylbenzaldehyde and ( E )‐2‐dodecenal…”