Composition of Volatile Foliage Isolates fromCupressus sempervirensVarieties (Var.horizontalMill. andpyramidalisNyman) Growing in Turkey

Abstract

In order to differentiate two varieties of Cupressus sempervirens, volatile foliage isolates obtained from 12 trees of variety horizontalis and 12 trees of var. pyramidalis were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. About 86-87% of total peak areas of chromatograms consist of monoterpenes and evaluating their composition in qualitative and quantitative manner they do not show significant differences with regard to varieties. Some increments of terpinen-4-ol, α−terpineol and α−terpinyl acetate was recognizable in the variety horizontalis, while the variety pyramidalis contained germacrene D and abietadiene to somewhat higher level. On the other side, a higher percentage of α−fenchene than that of camphene and the presence of a monoterpene hydrocarbon sylvestrene were found to bear some chemotaxonomic value for the taxon C. sempervirens.

Evaluation of possible in vitro neurobiological effects of two varieties of Cupressus sempervirens (Mediterranean cypress) through their antioxidant and enzyme inhibition actions

“…Cupressus L. species (Cupressaceae), known as "cypress", are native to the Mediterranean basin and its leaves and cones have been used as folk remedy in many countries such as antiseptic, antipyretic, anthelminthic, astringent, antirheumatic, antihemorrhoidal, antidiarrhoeic, and vasoconstrictive [4][5][6]. The genus is also used for ornamental purpose and known to contain appreciable amounts of essential oil [7][8][9][10], which possess mainly antimicrobial [10,11], antiviral [12], and antifungal [13] activity. Besides, C. sempervirens was recorded to be used for memory-enhancement in Anatolia, which was described in a very old book written by an Ottoman herbalist-physician at the period of the ruler Sultan Mehmed the fourth (1641-1693) [14].…”