Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) from Alentejo (South Portugal)-Ethnobotany and Potential Industrial Use.

Coriander is a medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) traditionally cultivated and used in Alentejo, Portugal. However, few publications are available about its ethnobotanical applications. Four independent ethnobotanical surveys were carried out: throughout the region (2002-2003), in three villages (2013), and in city markets (2007 and 2022). Coriander was the most common fresh cultivated MAP (75% of the total area) and also the most representative MAP fresh herb in city markets. The leaves, mostly, were used fresh or frozen or transformed in piso. Some of the recipes have agro-industrial potential, such as piso and aromatized olive oil. Coriander essential oils (EOs) were isolated by hydrodistillation from aerial parts with inflorescence emergence (APIs) and from fruits, and fatty acids (FA) by solvent extraction from the fruits. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed EOs dominated by n-decanal (21-24%), 2-trans-decenal (12-18%) and n-nonane (10-17%) in APIs, and linalool dominance (73-78%) in the fruits. Petroselinic acid (32-55%) was the dominant fatty acid. A literature survey on conventional and nonconventional extraction techniques showed a constancy in the dominant compounds isolated, highlighted piso as a home-made green-extraction procedure, but also reflected the relevance of coriander as a MAP with diverse industrial potential uses.

Monitoring Genetic Erosion of Aromatic and Medicinal Plant Species in Alentejo (South Portugal).

The main goal of this work was to study the genetic erosion risk of plants with aromatic, medicinal and gastronomic applications in Portugal, particularly in the Alentejo region. The target species were coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), hart's pennyroyal (Mentha cervina L.) and pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium L.). The methodology involved direct observations and surveys (2002/2003 and 2011). The GE formula applied in Hammer's studies was used to estimate genetic erosion. The main factors causing genetic erosion were the primary drivers of biodiversity loss: habitat loss, invasive species, and overexploitation influenced by human intervention such as the clearing of watercourses, vegetation control, grazing and desertification. The results indicate a reduction in individuals per species in Alentejo, with a net erosion loss of 11% for M. pulegium, 32% for M. cervina and 33% for C. sativum. The overall loss of accessions (genetic erosion risk) was higher in cultivated accessions (33%) than in wild accessions (11%), with an annual genetic erosion rate of 3.7% and 1.2%, respectively. The annual risk of genetic erosion for M. pulegium accessions collected in a natural habitat was 0.6%, which is much lower than the 3.7% for M. cervina. These results consolidate the importance of collecting and conserving genetic resources.

Chemical Variability of the Essential Oils from Two Portuguese Apiaceae: Coriandrum sativum L. and Foeniculum vulgare Mill.

Coriandrum sativum L. and Foeniculum vulgare Mill. are two aromatic and medicinal Apiaceae species commonly grown in Portugal, whose essential oils (EOs) are used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. The present study evaluated EOs isolated from the fruits and vegetative aerial parts (VAPs) of 11 samples of Coriandrum sativum L. and from the fruits of 19 samples of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. The plant material was grown in experimental fields, after collection from several regions of mainland Portugal. The EOs were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The coriander EOs analysis evidenced two main clusters, with the first containing the fruits' EOs dominated by linalool (60-73%), γ-terpinene, and α-pinene and the second with the VAPs' EOs, which showed 2-trans-decenal (37-63%) and n-decanal (13-30%) as the main compounds. The fennel EOs analysis revealed two well correlated clusters, the first dominated by estragole (34-76%) and fenchone (16-30%) and the other dominated by trans-anethole (37-56%) and fenchone (14-34%). The present data suggest coriander EOs' chemical descriptors as linalool for the fruits' EOs and 2-trans-decenal with n-decanal for the VAPs' EOs. For the fennel fruit EOs, the putative descriptors were trans-anethole and estragole, with variable fenchone content. The gathered data reinforce the relevance of clarifying variability of these species' EOs, particularly when considering aromatic and medicinal plants with such a wide range of applications.

Essential Oils from Origanum vulgare subsp. virens (Hoffmanns. & Link) Ietsw. Grown in Portugal: Chemical Diversity and Relevance of Chemical Descriptors.

Origanum vulgare L. is a well-known aromatic and medicinal plant, whose essential oil (EO) has recognised flavouring and medicinal properties. In this study, Origanum vulgare subsp. virens (Hoffmanns. & Link) Ietsw. EOs, isolated from accessions grown in experimental fields, were evaluated. The plant material was grown from rooted cuttings or nutlets (fruits), originally collected in 20 regions in mainland Portugal and harvesting for EO isolation was performed in two years. EOs were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, for EO quantification and identification, respectively. EO yields ranged from <0.05-3.3% for rooted cuttings, with oregano samples obtained in Portalegre and Alandroal, respectively. Ninety-one compounds were identified, mainly grouped in oxygen-containing monoterpenes and monoterpene hydrocarbons. EO agglomerative cluster analysis evidenced two main clusters, with the first subdivided into four subclusters. From the obtained data, the putative O. vulgare subsp. virens chemotypes are carvacrol, thymol and linalool, with γ-terpinene, p-cymene, cis- and trans-ß-ocimene also contributing as these EOs chemical descriptors. The comparison between the present data and a survey of the existing literature on Portuguese O. vulgare reinforces the major variability of this species' EOs and emphasises the importance of avoiding wild collections to obtain a defined chemical type of crop production of market relevance.

Phenolic Composition and Bioactivity of Lavandula pedunculata (Mill.) Cav. Samples from Different Geographical Origin.

The aim of this study was to characterize the phenolic composition and evaluate the bioactivity of several samples of Lavandula pedunculata (Mill.) Cav, and to compare aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts. Plant materials were obtained by growing some accessions (seed samples) of various wild populations from different regions of Portugal conserved at the Portuguese Genebank in Braga. Phenolic compounds were analised by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn, antioxidant potential through in vitro assays (DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power and inhibition of lipid peroxidation), cytotoxicity on tumor cells (MCF-7, NCI-H460, HeLa and HepG2) and non-tumor (PLP2) cells, anti-inflammatory activity in rat RAW 264.7 macrophages, by the ability to inhibit NO production and antimicrobial potential by the microdilution method with INT dye (iodonitrotetrazolium chloride). Thirteen compounds were identified, being salvianolic acid B, rosmarinic acid and luteolin-7-O-glucuronide, the main compounds present, with values ranging between 44.3⁻582, 50.9⁻550, and 24.36⁻101.5 mg/g extract, respectively. L. pedunculata aqueous extract revealed a higher antioxidant potential (EC50 values between 14 to 530 µg/mL), which could be related to its higher concentration in phenolic compounds; however, the hydroethanolic extract showed a higher anti-inflammatory (lower EC50 values than 124 µg/mL) potential and antiproliferative capacity (lower GI50 values than 34 µg/mL). Thus, this study highlights the bioactive effects of this species and opens up possibilities of uses in food and pharmaceutical formulations. However, there are potential differences in such properties according to geographical origin of plant material, as in general, the samples from Alentejo presented higher results in all the bioactivities, compared with Trás-os-Montes samples.

Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of the essential oils of Portuguese Foeniculum vulgare fruits.

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from fruits of six fennel accessions collected from wild populations occurring in the centre and south of Portugal. Composition of essential oils was established by Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The obtained yields of the essential oils were found to vary greatly in the range of 1.1 to 2.9% (v/w) and the chemical composition varied with the region of collection. A total of 16 compounds were identified. The main compounds were fenchone (16.9 - 34.7%), estragole (2.5 - 66.0%) and trans-anethole (7.9 - 77.7%). The percentages of these three main compounds were used to determine the relationship between the different oil samples and to group them into four different chemotypes: anethole/fenchone; anethole; estragole and anethole/estragole. Antifungal activity of essential oils was evaluated against six food spoilage fungi: Aspergillus niger, A. japonicus, A. oryzae, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizophus oryzae and R. stolonifer. Antibacterial activity was assessed against three Gram-positive strains: Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228 and S. aureus ATCC 28213; and against six Gram-negative strains: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922; Morganella morganii LFG 08; Proteus mirabilis LFG 04; Salmonella enteritidis LFG 05; S. entiritidis serovar typhimurium LFG 06 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 by the disc diffusion agar method; the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the broth macro-dilution method. The MIC values varied from 62.5 (E. coli ATCC 25922) to 2000 µmL (P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853).