Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Heracleum verticillatum Pančić and H. ternatum Velen. (Apiaceae) Essential Oils

Abstract

In this work, the chemical composition, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of Heracleum verticillatum Pančić and H. ternatum Velen. root, leaf, and fruit essential oils were investigated. The composition was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Heracleum verticillatum and H. ternatum root oils were dominated by monoterpenes, mostly β-pinene (23.5% and 47.3%, respectively). Heracleum verticillatum leaf oil was characterized by monoterpenes, mainly limonene (20.3%), and sesquiterpenes, mostly (E)-caryophyllene (19.1%), while H. ternatum leaf oil by the high percentage of phenylpropanoids, with (Z)-isoelemicin (35.1%) being dominant constituent. Both fruit oils contained the majority of aliphatic esters, mostly octyl acetate (42.3% in H. verticillatum oil and 49.0% in H. ternatum oil). The antimicrobial activity of the oils was determined by microdilution method against eight bacterial and eight fungal strains. The strongest effect was exhibited by H. verticillatum root oil, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium (MICs = 0.14 mg/ml, MBCs = 0.28 mg/ml), and Trichoderma viride (MIC = 0.05 mg/ml, MFC = 0.11 mg/ml). Cytotoxic effect was determined by MTT test against malignant HeLa, LS174, and A549 cells (IC50 = 5.9 - 146.0 μg/ml), and against normal MRC-5 cells (IC50 > 120.1 μg/ml). The best effect was exhibited by H. verticillatum root oil on A549 cells (IC50 = 5.9 μg/ml), and H. ternatum root oil against LS174 cells (IC50 = 6.7 μg/ml).

Antimicrobial Activity and Analysis of the Essential Oils of Selected Endemic Edible Apiaceae Plants Root from Caspian Hyrcanian Region (North of Iran)

“…48,49 Several investigations on other genus such as Heracleum also showed that octyl conjugated of butyric, acetic, and octanoic acids constitute the main SCFAE in essential oils of Heracleum genus. [50][51][52][53][54] This similarity in major SCFAE of both genus may reflect the pervious viewpoint about Tordylieae tribe of Apiaceae which also showed close phylogenetic characters. 55,56…”

Essential oils of three cow parsnips – composition and activity against nosocomial and foodborne pathogens and food contaminants

“…pollinianum and H. orphanidis root, leaf and fruit oils exhibited antimicrobial activity that was in some cases stronger than the activity of reference antibiotics. 39,45 Additionally, H. orphanidis aerial parts oil exhibited prominent antibacterial activity, and moreover, it inhibited P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm formation and synthesis of toxic pyocyanin, as well as reduced its twitching and flagella mobility. 51 The cytotoxic activity of the analyzed H. sphondylium, H. sibiricum and H. montanum root, leaf, flower and fruit essential oils was tested against the cell lines of common cancer types, i.e.…”

“…39,45 In the oil isolated by the microdissection of the vittae of H. sphondylium fruits collected in Italy in different development stages, the main components were also octyl acetate (18.1-34.6%) and octyl hexanoate (24.5-30.5%). Besides aliphatic esters, this oil contained the notable quantity of furanocoumarins, mostly analyzed HSPH oil in which only the trace of bergapten was identified.…”

Evaluation of safety profile of the essential oils of eight Heracleum taxa (Apiaceae) related to determined furanocoumarin content

“…For the purpose of our research, the plants were collected in Southeastern Europe (Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovenia), however, most of them are also native in some other parts of Europe, except H. verticillatum and H. orphanidis, which are endemic species of central Balkan (4,5). In previous researches, we analyzed the chemical composition of essential oils of different organs of these plants by GC-FID and GC-MS, and demonstrated their antimicrobial, cytotoxic (selective to cancer cell lines) and/or antioxidant activities (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12).…”