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

• Published in: Food & function 2017-01, Vol.8 (1), p.278-29
• Main Authors: Ušjak, Ljuboš, Petrovi, Silvana, Drobac, Milica, Sokovi, Marina, Stanojkovi, Tatjana, iri, Ana, Niketi, Marjan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Apiaceae; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Cross Infection - microbiology; Food Contamination - analysis; Foodborne Diseases - microbiology; Heracleum; Heracleum - chemistry; Heracleum - classification; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Oils, Volatile - chemistry; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - chemistry
• ISSN: 2042-6496; 2042-650X
• DOI: 10.1039/c6fo01698g

Although some widespread, native cow parsnips ( Heracleum L. spp., Apiaceae) had broad medicinal and culinary applications throughout history, the knowledge about their volatile constituents is insufficient. This work investigates the composition and bioactivities of H . sphondylium L. (HSPH), H . sibiricum L. (HSIB) and H . montanum Schleich. ex Gaudin (HMON) essential oils. The composition was tested by GC and GC-MS. ( Z )-β-Ocimene was the most abundant in HSPH (28.9%) and HMON (20.4%) root oils, while in HSIB root oil, β-pinene (26.2%), methyl eugenol (22.3%) and elemicin (25.6%) prevailed. Leaf and flower oils were dominated by various sesquiterpenes (germacrene D, β-sesquiphellandrene, ( E )-β-farnesene and/or ( E )-caryophyllene) and/or phenylpropanoids (apiole, methyl eugenol, elemicin and/or ( Z )-isoelemicin). Octyl acetate (57.5-67.1%) was the main constituent of all fruit oils. The antimicrobial activity was screened by a microdilution method against eight bacteria and eight fungi. The strongest antimicrobial effect, in several cases better than the activity of antibiotics, was shown by HSPH (MICs = 0.12-3.30 mg mL −1 ) and HMON (MICs = 0.10-1.30 mg mL −1 ) flower oils against bacteria, and HSIB fruit oil against fungi (MICs = 0.15-0.40 mg mL −1 ). The MTT test revealed that the oils were not or weakly cytotoxic against human malignant HeLa, LS174 and/or A549 cells (except HSPH root oil; IC 50 = 5.72-24.31 μg mL −1 ) and that tested oils were not toxic against human normal MRC-5 cells (at 200.00 μg mL −1 ). Significant activity observed against microorganisms that are the common cause of foodborne diseases, food contamination and/or hospital-acquired infections justifies certain traditional uses of the investigated plants and represents a good basis for further research of these Heracleum oils. Although some widespread, native cow parsnips ( Heracleum L. spp., Apiaceae) had broad medicinal and culinary applications throughout history, the knowledge about their volatile constituents is insufficient.