The chemical composition of 18 oil samples of Santolina africana isolated from aerial parts at full flowering, collected in three locations in eastern Algeria was determined by GC(RI), GC/MS and 13C-NMR analysis. The major components were: germacrene D, myrcene, spathulenol, α-bisabolol, β-pinene, 1,8-cineole, cis-chrysanthenol, capillene, santolina alcohol, camphor, terpinen-4-ol and lyratol. The chemical composition appeared homogeneous and characterized by the occurrence of four derivatives which exhibited a conjugated alkene dialkyne moiety. They were identified for the first time in an essential oil from S. africana. The collective oil sample exhibited moderate antimicrobial and antioxidant activities whereas the anti-inflammatory activity presented a real potential. IC50 value of Santolina africana essential oil (0.065 ± 0.004 mg/mL) is 5-fold higher than IC50 value of NDGA used as positive control.

The chemical composition of 93 oil samples from the aerial parts of Pituranthos scoparius, harvested in three regions of Algeria, was investigated by GC-FID, GC/MS and C-NMR. Monoterpene hydrocarbons dominated in association with phenylpropanoids and a chemical variability was found highlighting three clusters. The composition of group I (36 samples) exhibited an atypical composition characterized by a very high contents of 6-methoxyelemicine (13.0 - 59.6%), followed by sabinene (1.1 - 43.0%) and limonene (6.6 - 39.0%), while the samples of group II (12 samples) contained a high content of limonene (9.2 - 44.0%), followed by myristicine (0.0 - 29.4%) and a lower amount of sabinene (0.8 - 2.3%). Group III (45 samples) could be divided in two subgroups. Subgroup SGIIIA was characterized by a very high content of sabinene (28.0 - 55.6%), followed by elemicine (0.0 - 29.1%), while the samples belonging to SGIIIB were characterized by the lower content of sabinene (6.2 - 35.5%) and a significant content of myristicine (1.5 - 32.4%), α-pinene (4.2 - 31.0%) and dill apiole (0.1 - 31.4%). Each harvested region was characterized by a different chemical composition.

Myrtus communis L. is a shrub growing wild in most countries all around the Mediterranean Sea and myrtle leaf oil is useful in the perfumery and pharmaceutical industries. Nowadays, “chemotyped” essential oils are more and more appreciated. Myrtle oil from eastern and central-north Algeria belong to the “α-pinene-cineole” chemotype. In contrast, Moroccan myrtle oil displayed appreciable content of myrtenyl acetate. Therefore, it appeared crucial to investigate the composition of myrtle leaf oil from northwestern Algeria in order to ensure the homogeneity of the composition of Algerian myrtle leaf oil. The chemical composition of 42 oil samples of M. communis isolated from leaves collected in five locations from Tlemcen Province was investigated by gas chromatography (GC) in combination with retention indices, GC-mass spectroscopy, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Yields ranged between 0.13% and 1.04% (w/w). The chemical composition of the oils was largely dominated by monoterpene hydrocarbons, with α-pinene (24.3-59.0%) and 1,8-cineole (13.2-49.5%) being the major compounds followed by limonene (3.2-19.8%). The 42 compositions were submitted to statistical analyses. The combination of hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis allowed the distinction of two groups, the second group being subdivided into two subgroups. Groups and subgroups were differentiated with respect to their contents of α-pinene and 1,8-cineole and, to a lesser extent, of limonene. This study ensures that Algerian myrtle leaf oil belongs to the “α-pinene-cineole” chemotype which displays various biological activities. The observed homogeneity could be a positive point to join the international market of essential oils.

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The essential oil from aerial parts of Pituranthos scoparius obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC, GC/MS and 13C NMR and evaluated for antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The yields were showed a very high variability ranging from 0.16 to 0.99%. Sixty two components were identified and the results indicated that the essential oil was rich in hydrocarbons monoterpenes and phenylpropanoid compounds. 6-Methoxyelemicine (0.1- 47.0%), sabinene (1.4-35.5%), limonene (0.6-24.0%), myristicine (0.2-18.9%), α-pinene (3.1- 14.7%) and dill apiole (0.0-10.6%) were the major compounds. The essential oils were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Candida albicans, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus and the minimum inhibitory concentration was determined. The tested oils have been shown to possess inhibitory action in the range from 2 to 3 µL/mL against Aspergillus fumigatus, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The antimicrobial activity of essential oil from P. Scoparius well be due probably to the presence of synergy between myristicine and terpinen-4-ol. The antioxidant activity was evaluated through DPPH assay. All samples exhibited weak scavenging activity against DPPH, compared to standard antioxidant tested. Essential oil with IC50 of the order of 23.65±0.77 and 25.95±2.13 mg/mL could be attributed probably to the presence of limonene and germacrene D in larger amounts.