Composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil of Ferulago longistylis Boiss. fruits

The genus Ferulago W. Koch (Apiaceae), is represented in Turkey by thirty species, of which sixteen are endemic. It is interesting that only forty-five Ferulago species are described in the world, suggesting that the gene center for this genus is Anatolia [1,2]. The species of this genus are known as kuzukemirdi, kuzubaşı, çakşır and resemble Ferula and Prangos species also widely abundant in Turkey. These three genera are used for many purposes in Turkish folk medicine. But they are mainly used as aphrodisiacs and preferred as fodder to increase animal productivity [3]. Ferulago longistylis Boiss. is a rare endemic, perennial species up to 150cm high[1]. The essential oil from the fruits of Ferulago longistylis Boiss. (Apiceae) collected from Erzincan, north eastern Turkey was obtained by hydrodistillation. Simultaneous analyses by GC and GC-MS resulted in the identification of fifty-nine compounds representing 96% of the essential oil. The major constituents found were 2,3,6-trimethylbenzaldehyde (29%), α-pinene (17%), (Z)- β-ocimene (16%), sabinene (6%), myrcene (6%) and bornyl acetate (4%). The essential oil was also screened for its antimicrobial properties against various Gram negative (Bacillus cereus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium) and Gram positive (Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, methicilline resistant S. aureus) bacteria including the yeast Candida tropicalis. Using a broth microdilution assay, only moderate to weak inhibitory activity (0.5–1mg/mL) was observed against the microorganisms screened in this assay when compared to the standard antimicrobial agents.

References: [1] Davis P.H. (Ed.) (1972) Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Vol. 4. Edinburgh University Press: Edinburgh. [2] Akalın E. (1999) Pharmaceutical Botanical Investigation of Ferulago Species Growing in Western Turkey, Ph.D.Thesis, Istanbul Univ., Istanbul, Turkey. [3] Baytop T. (1999) Therapy with Medicinal Plants in Turkey – Past and Present, Second Edition. Nobel Tıp Basımevi: İstanbul Turkey.