Sesquiterpenoids from the heartwood of Juniperu s chinensis

A new sesquiterpenoid, 11-hydroxy-valenc-1(10),3(4)-dien-2-one (3), two chemically synthesized but first isolate from nature, 3-oxocedran-8β-ol (1) and valenc-1(10),3(4),11(12)-trien-2-one (2) along with four known compounds, sugiol (4), (+)-nootkatone (5), 11-hydroxy-valenc-1(10)-en-2-one (6), and clovandiol (7), were isolated from the heartwood of Juniperus chinensis. All chemical structures were elucidated using extensive spectroscopic analysis including 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Valenc-1(10),3(4),11(12)-trien-2-one (2) exhibited significant inhibitory activity against butyrylcholinesterase with an IC₅₀ value of 68.45 µM.

Comparative analysis of the composition of essential oils from the needles, twigs and berries of Juniperus chinensis L. in Korea.

The essential oil constituents from the needles, twigs and berries of Juniperus chinensis from Korea were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oils from the different plant parts were obtained by steam distillation and the yields were 0.34, 0.11 and 0.12% (v/w), respectively. The GC-MS analysis revealed the identification of 36 different components from needles, twigs and berries, which were mostly monoterpene hydrocarbons (42.05-48.15%) followed by oxygenated monoterpenes (28.53-39.92%).Among the 36 components, 17 components were identified in all the three essential oils. The components such as bornyl acetate (2.85 – 20.70%), sabinene (10.23 – 18.13%), α-pinene (5.80 – 16.26%), terpinen-4-ol (5.98 – 31.10%), limonene (3.98 – 6.96%), β-pinene (3.05 – 4.39%), γ-terpinene (2.24 – 8.36%), α-elemol (1.74 – 4.77%) and α-cadinol (2.49 – 3.39%) were detected as the major components in the essential oils from the three different parts of J. chinensis. The main differences between the three essential oils can be referred to terpinen-4-ol and bornyl acetate. The essential oil of the berries contained the highest level of terpinen-4-ol (31.10%) than needles (7.51%) and twigs (5.98%). On the other hand, bornyl acetate content was very less in berries (2.85%) when compared with twigs (20.70%) and needles (16.43%).

Actividad antifúngica del aceite esencial de cinco especies de Juniperus de Argentina / Antifungal activities of the essential oil of five species of Juniperus from Argentina

The chemical composition of the leaf oils of five Juniperus species (Juniperus sabina L., Juniperus communis Lam., Juniperus scopulorum Sarg., Juniperus virginiana L., Juniperus chinensis L., Cupressaceae) was determined by co-chromatography with authentic samples, GC-MS and Kováts retention indices. Sabinene was the most abundant component in the oils of Juniperus from western Patagonia Argentina. However, limonene and germacrene B constituted 25.1 percent and 11.5 percent of the oil of J. sabina. J. virginiana showed high concentration of alpha-humulene and limonene (31.4 and 15.9 percent respectively), while isobornyl acetate and germacrene B were also the main compounds of J. chinensis. Essential oils extracted of Juniperus were evaluated in vitro for their efficacy against Fusarium verticillioides, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Candida albicans and Rhodotorula infection. Candida albicans was not inhibited for the essential oils of Juniperus. However, F. verticillioides, A. flavus, A. parasiticus and Rhodotorula were inhibited for these oils.

La composición de los aceites esenciales de la hoja de cinco especies de Juniperus (Juniperus sabina L., Juniperus communis Lam., Juniperus scopulorum Sarg., Juniperus virginiana L., Juniperus chinensis L., Cupressaceae), se determinó mediante una co-cromatografía con muestras auténticas de dos columnas de diferente polaridad, CG-EM y los índices de retención de Kovats. El sabineno fue el componente más abundante en los aceites de Juniperus del oeste de la Patagonia Argentina. Sin embargo, el limoneno y el germacreno B son otros componentes importantes del aceite esencial de J. sabina con el 25,1 por ciento y 11,5 por ciento respectivamente. En J. virginiana el alfa-humuleno y el limoneno (con el 31,4 por ciento y 15.9 por ciento respectivamente) mostraron ser también importantes, mientras que el acetato de isobornilo y el germacreno B fueron también los principales componentes de la J. chinensis. Los aceites esenciales extraídos de Juniperus se evaluaron in vitro para determinar su eficacia contra Fusarium verticillioides, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Candida albicans y Rhodotorula. Candida albicans no se inhibió por la acción de los aceites esenciales de Juniperus. Sin embargo, F. verticillioides, A. flavus, A. parasiticus y Rhodotorula fueron inhibidos.