Genus Echinophora-Biological Activity, Chemical Composition, and Future Perspectives.

Species belonging to the genus Echinophora (Apiaceae) have been used by humanity since ancient times as flavoring agents, preservatives, and medicines for the treatment of a broad spectrum of conditions, including respiratory, digestive and kidney disorders, fungi infections, wounds, and gastric ulcers. Phytochemical studies on this botanical genus mainly investigate the essential oil composition and reveal the species as a rich source of volatile compounds, including monoterpenes and phenylpropanoids. Among the non-volatile secondary metabolites, flavonoids, coumarins, phenolic acids, phytosterols, and polyacetylenes have been identified. Pharmacological studies revealed Echinophora extracts and essential oils exhibit different biological properties, including antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities. However, compared to other genera, the biological activity and chemical diversity of this genus are not well studied. In future decades, it is highly likely that the small genus Echinophora will play an important role in drug discovery and drug development.

A Comparison between Bulgarian Tanacetum parthenium Essential Oil from Two Different Locations.

Tanacetum parthenium L. (Asteraceae) is a perennial herbaceous plant with a long-standing historical use in traditional medicine. Recently Tanacetum parthenium L. essential oil has been associated with a promising potential for future applications in the pharmaceutical industry, in the cosmetics industry, and in agriculture. Investigations on the essential oil (EO) have indicated antimicrobial, antioxidant, and repellent activity. The present study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition of Bulgarian T. parthenium essential oil from two different regions, to compare the results to those reported previously in the literature, and to point out some of its future applications. The essential oils of the air-dried flowering aerial parts were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus. The chemical composition was evaluated using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It was established that the oxygenated monoterpenes were the predominant terpene class, followed by the monoterpene hydrocarbons. Significant qualitative and quantitative differences between both samples were revealed. Camphor (50.90%), camphene (16.12%), and bornyl acetate (6.05%) were the major constituents in the feverfew EO from the western Rhodope Mountains, while in the EO from the central Balkan mountains camphor (45.54%), trans-chrysanthenyl acetate (13.87%), and camphene (13.03%) were the most abundant components.

Chemical Composition and Future Perspectives of Essential Oil Obtained from a Wild Population of Stachys germanica L. Distributed in the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria.

Stachys germanica L. (Lamiaceae) is a plant associated with a rich history in the traditional medicine of Iran, Turkey, and Serbia. However, researchers have not fully investigated the pharmacological potential of the herb, and scientific data on this plant species are limited. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) obtained from the aerial parts of S. germanica L. growing wild in Bulgaria and to perform a comparative analysis of the chemical composition of EOs obtained from the same plant species from other geographical regions. For the evaluation of the chemical profile of the isolated EO, gas chromatographic analysis with mass spectrometry was performed. The most abundant terpene class was oxygenated monoterpenes, which accounted for 59.30% of the total EO composition. The bicyclic monoterpene camphor, as a compound of this class, was identified as the major constituent in the EO, accounting for 52.96% of the total oil composition. The chemical profile of Bulgarian EO is quite different compared to that of EOs from other regions. It is the only one to contain more than 50% camphor. In addition, EO contains significant amounts of the diterpene geranyl p-cymene (10.49%). This is the first study describing the chemical composition of EO from Bulgarian Stachys germanica L., and our results reveal some future perspectives for the evaluation of the biological activity of EO from the studied plant species as a new therapeutic agent or natural remedy targeting different medical conditions. The EO has a promising potential to be used as a biopesticide and repellent as well, an environmentally friendly and safer alternative to standard pesticides.

Echinophora tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana-Study of the Histochemical Localization of Essential Oil.

BACKGROUND: Echinophora tenuifolia L. subsp. sibthorpiana is a perennial, aromatic plant used in traditional folk medicine and cuisine of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. However, scholars have not fully studied the pharmacological potential of the herb, and the scientific data on this plant species are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) obtained from the aerial parts of E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana growing wild in Bulgaria and to perform histochemical analysis. METHODS: A microscopic histochemical analysis and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry were performed. RESULTS: The histochemical analysis confirmed the presence of terpenes in the stem and leaf of E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana. The phenylpropanoid methyleugenol was identified as the main compound in the EO, representing 48.13% of the total oil composition. There were also found considerable amounts of monoterpene hydrocarbons, representing 41.68% of the total EO. Alpha-phellandrene, o-cymene, and ß-phellandrene were the most abundant monoterpene hydrocarbons. CONCLUSION: This is the first histochemical analysis performed on E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana. This is the first report of the EO composition from Bulgarian E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana, and our results indicate some future possibilities for evaluating of the biological activity of the EO of E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana and highlight the potential future use of the EO of this plant species. E. tenuifolia L. subsp. sibthorpiana EO possesses a good potential for use as a biopesticide and repellent an environmentally friendly alternative of synthetic pesticides.