Traditional use, chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Pectis brevipedunculata essential oil: A correlated lemongrass species in Brazil

Abstract

For centuries, medicinal plants have been used as source of active principles for the treatment of many conditions. Ethnobotanical studies and bioassay guided isolation procedures have been successfully used in order to investigate and confirm their medicinal prescriptions. Traditionally used in Brazil, Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) is usually consumed as tea drink due to its calmative, anxyolitic as well as antihypertensive properties. Due to the similar lemongrass scent many species of Pectis genus have been used as infusion drinks for the same purposes as C. citratus. In Brazil, Pectis brevipedunculata, a sandy ornamental aromatic grass, is one of the "lemongrass odor" correlated species traditionally consumed. Chemical analysis of its essential oil was performed using GC-FID and GC-MS. Such essential oil was characterized by a high percentages of citral (81.8%: neral 35.6% and geranial 46.2%), followed by limonene (2.9%) and α-pinene (2.6%). Chemical and ethnobotanical investigations were performed involving one of the most commonly used Pectis species, known as lemongrass in order to confirm the medicinal indications compared to their chemical profile. The essential oil of P. brevipedunculata was tested against several clinical parasites. Our results were in agreement to the literature survey, suggesting the citral as the principal active constituent of the tested samples. Despite of the wide biological activities spectrum related to the major constituent presented in the essential oil of the most Pectis species, it is necessary to continue the phytochemical and pharmacological studies about the infusions constituents and validate the folk medicine.

Evaluation of Antifungal Activity and Mechanism of Action of Citral againstCandida albicans

“…This has been attributed to its high concentrations of citral, whose antimicrobial potential is known, and reported by other authors [10, 12, 16, 20, 38]. More recently, studies have shown that citral can also be used as an antiprotozoal drug.…”

Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oil

“…The quality of Cymbopogon citratus is determined by the content of citral. It has been observed that citral has an inhibitory effect on bacteria and fungi (Adinarayana et al, 2012;Marques et al, 2013).…”

Antimicrobial potential of Pectis substriata essential oil (Asteraceae) against drug-resistant Staphylococcus strains

“…The essential oil of plants belonging to Pectis genus, such as Pectis brevipedunculata, have shown bactericidal and fungicidal activities (Marques et al 2013). Although the antimicrobial effects of the P. substriata have not been previously investigated, the main compounds found in the essential oil of this species are known to be biologically active and exhibit antimicrobial, anticancer, and antiinflammatory properties (Duelund et al 2012).…”

“…The aromatic properties of Pectis species have been associated with their use in folk medicine, such as P. stenophylla, from which an infusion of the aerial parts is prepared and the hot vapor is inhaled to treating colds (Gentry 1963), and P. prostrata, used for colds and tuberculosis (Austin 2004). Plants rich in essential oil are often appreciated for their use for flavoring food, such as P. elongata (Maia et al 2005) and P. brevipedunculata (Marques et al 2013), or in perfumery, such as P. angustifolia (Bradley & Haagen-Smit 1949).…”