Records of Natural Products Articles

The leaf essential oil of Talauma gloriensis was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The most abundant essential oil components were myrcene (31.7%) and germacrene D (43.5%). The leaf oil showed notable brine shrimp toxicity (LC 50 = 14.1 µg/mL) and slight cruzain inhibitory activity (IC 50 = 98.6 µg/mL), but was devoid of cytotoxic activity or antibacterial activity.

The chemical composition, antioxidant and anticholinesterase activity of three essential oils (EOs) obtained from the oleogum resin of three endemic Sqotraen Boswellia species, Boswellia socotrana Balf. f, Boswellia ameero Balf. f, andBoswellia elongata Balf. f were determined. GC-MS technique was used for the analysis of the oils. Oils of B. socotrana and B. ameero were characterized by a high content of monoterpenes. The main constituens of B. socotrana and B. ameero were (E)-2,3-epoxycarene (51.8%), 1,5-isopropyl-2-methylbicyclo[3.1.0]hex-3-en-2-ol (31.3%), and a -cymene (7.1%); (3E,5E)-2,6-dimethyl-1,3,5,7-octatetraene (34.9%), 1-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)ethanol (20.3%), 3,4-dimethylstyrene (17.3%), a -campholenal (13.4%) and a -terpineol (12.4%) respectively. The composition of B. elongata oil was dominated by the diterpene verticiol (52.4%), the sesquiterpene caryophellene (39.1%) and methylcycloundecanecarboxylate (7.8%). The oils were screened for their antioxidant activity by using the DPPH free radical scavenger assay and their anticholinesterase activity on acetylcholinesterase enzyme by using in vitro Ellman method. The antioxidant activity of EOs from B. socotrana (IC 50 =121.4 µg/mL) appeared to be more potent than that of B. elongata (IC 50 =211.2 µg/mL) and B. ameero (IC 50 =175.2 µg/mL). EO of B. socotrana showed the higher AChE inhibitory activity with 59.3% at concentration of 200 μ g/mL in comparison to EOs of B. elongata and B. ameero (29.6, 41.6 enzyme inhibition) respectively.

The fatty acid composition of the seed oil of Ferulago trachycarpa Boiss., collected from two different localities (Balıkesir-Edremit and Konya-Seydişehir), was analyzed for derived methyl esters of their fatty acids by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Seventeen components representing 98.7 % of Balıkesir sample and 98.6 % of Konya sample of F. trachycarpa seed oils were identified. GC-MS data showed that the main fatty acids were 9-octadeceneoic acid (68.1 and 73.6 %), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (23.0 and 18.0 %), 9-hexadeceneoic acid (4.1 and 3.5 %) and 11-octadecenoic acid (2.0 and 1.8 %) in both oils, respectively. Unsaturated fatty acids were found as high as 97.7 and 97.4 %, while the percentage of the saturated fatty acids was found as low as 1.0 and 1.2 % in both seed oils, respectively.

Curcumin is the most important fraction of turmeric which is responsible for its biological activity. In this study, isolation and biological assessment of turmeric and curcumin have been discussed against standard bacterial and mycobacterial strains such as E.coli , S.aureus, E.feacalis, P.aeuroginosa, M.smegmatis, M.simiae, M.kansasii, M. terrae, M.szulgai and the fungi Candida albicans. The antioxidant activity of curcumin and turmeric were also determined by the CUPRAC method.