Exudate Compounds of Origanum Species

Abstract

Origanum species are valuable medicinal and culinary herbs, more that their biocidal properties are very important for organic farming. The first substances involved in allelopathic interactions in nature are the exudate (surface) compounds. In the present study, acetone exudates of ten samples of Origanum species were comparatively analyzed by GC/MS and TLC. Plant material of Origanum dictamnus L., Origanum vulgare L. and Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum as the latter taxa was represented by 8 patterns with different origin were studied. Flavonoid aglycones, terpenes, fatty acids and alcohols, triterpene acids and phenolic derivatives were identified. Methylated derivatives of flavones and non-methylated flavanones (naringenin and eriodictyol) were identified as the most common flavonoid aglycones. The most complex flavonoid profile was detected for O. vulgare ssp. hirtum samples. A few differences in the flavonoid profiles of O. vulgare ssp. hirtum from different origin of were found. Carvacrol was determined as main component of O. vulgare subsp. hirtum samples, whereas in O. vulgaris exudate long-chain fatty alcohol was found as abundant compound. The data obtained complement the knowledge of the distribution and role of exudate compounds.