Abstract
Chemical characterization of three Juniperus species: J. foetidisima (JF), J. excelsa (JE) and J. communis (JC) from Macedonian flora enclosed determination of yield and essential oil composition of the oils obtained by hydro-distillation of dried leaves and determination of the content of total phenols and total flavonoids in dried plant material. GC/FID/MS analysis showed mainly monoterpene profile of the JC oil and combined monoterpene/sesquiterpene profile of JF and JE oils. Sesquiterpene cedrol was found as an important constituent of the JF and JE, thus the JF oil was characterized by three main components (a-pinene, limonene and cedrol, in amount up to 67.63%, 27.11% and 33.91%, respectively) and JE oil by four components (a-pinene, sabinene, cis-thujone and cedrol, in amount up to 33.83%, 29.49%, 26.20% and 24.44%, respectively). The JC oil was free of cedrol, but contained relatively large sesquiterpene fraction (sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and oxygen containing sesquiterpenes in amounts up to 28.64% and 13.57%, respectively). The JC oil was characterized by three monoterpene components (a-pinene, sabinene and terpinen-4-ol, presented up to 28.68%, 16.27% and 12.16%, respectively). The content of total phenols determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method ranged from 96.18-122.91 mg GAE/g dw (water extraction) while the content of total flavonoids ranged from 2.05-11.91 mg CE/g dw (ethanol extraction). Both water and ethanol extracts possessed radical scavenging activity against DPPH radical. Water extracts were more powerful with % of inhibition of DPPH ranging up to 64.52%, 67.40% and 78.23% for water extract (10 mg/ml) of JF, JE and JC, respectively. Obtained results showed correlation with the content of total phenols.
Highlights
Juniperus is one of the major genera of Cupressaceae family consisting of approximately 70 species variable in size and shape, from tall trees to columnar or low spreadingMarija Karapandzova, Gjose Stefkov, Ivana Cvetkovikj, Floresha Sela, Tatjana Kadifkova Panovska, Svetlana Kulevanova throughout the eastern Mediterranean starting from northeastern Greece and southern Bulgaria across Turkey to the Middle-East countries (Syria and Lebanon) and the Caucasus Mtn
Sesquiterpene cedrol was found as an important constituent of the J. foetidisima (JF) and J. excelsa (JE), the JF oil was characterized by three main components (a-pinene, limonene and cedrol, in amount up to 67.63%, 27.11% and 33.91%, respectively) and JE oil by four components (a-pinene, sabinene, cis-thujone and cedrol, in amount up to 33.83%, 29.49%, 26.20% and 24.44%, respectively)
The content of total phenols determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method ranged from 96.18-122.91 mg GAE/g dw while the content of total flavonoids ranged from 2.05-11.91 mg CE/g dw
Summary
Juniperus is one of the major genera of Cupressaceae family consisting of approximately 70 species variable in size and shape, from tall trees to columnar or low spreadingMarija Karapandzova, Gjose Stefkov, Ivana Cvetkovikj, Floresha Sela, Tatjana Kadifkova Panovska, Svetlana Kulevanova throughout the eastern Mediterranean starting from northeastern Greece and southern Bulgaria across Turkey to the Middle-East countries (Syria and Lebanon) and the Caucasus Mtn. J. excelsa is a medicinal plant that has been used in folk medicine to treat dysmenorrhe, cough, bronchitis and colds, jaundice and tuberculosis and to induce menses and expel fetus (Emami et al, 2011). It is known as a remedy for diarrhea, abdominal spasm, asthma, fever, gonorrhea, headache and leucorrhoea (Khan et al, 2012). These activities are probably result to the complex chemical pattern of terpene and other components
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