Abstract
In the framework of the correlation between chemotaxonomy and chemical analysis studies, the chemical composition of the essential oils of four varieties of Thuja species cultivated in Poland − T. occidentalis ‘globosa’, T. occidentalis ‘aurea’, T. plicata and T. plicata ‘gracialis’ − were investigated by GC and GC-MS. Thirty-one compounds were identified from T. occidentalis ‘globosa’, representing 96.92% of the total oil; twenty-seven from T. occidentalis ‘aurea’ (94.34%); thirty-one from T. plicata (94.75%); and thirty compounds from T. plicata ‘gracialis’ (96.36%). The main constituents in all samples were the monoterpene ketones α- and β-thujone, fenchone and sabinene, as well as the diterpenes beyerene and rimuene. The chemosystematic value of the total ketone content of all samples (which varied from 54.30–69.18%) has been discussed and investigated. The constituents, beyerene and the mixture of α- and β-thujone, were isolated from the oils and tested against six Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and three pathogenic fungi. The oils of the two T. plicata species exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, while the mixture of α- and β-thujone showed very strong activity as well.
Highlights
Thuja is a small genus of the Cupressaceae family comprising five extant species, of which T.occidentalis L. and T. plicata Donn ex D
T. occidentalis (Eastern arborvitae, Atlantic red cedar) which comprises shrubs or trees up to 15–35 meters tall, with spreading crowded branches, occurs in eastern North America, occupying a geographical range between the sub Arctic taiga-tundra interface in the north and the belt of deciduous angiosperm forests in the south, while in Europe it is grown as an ornamental tree [2]
The main components of the essential oils of each variety of the two studied species with their percentages and their retention indices are listed in Table 1, while the results of the antibacterial and antifungal activities of the essential oils and their main components are presented in a comparison of the previous reported data concerning the most abundant compounds in T. occidentalis and T. plicata leaf oils of different origin [2,6,7,8,10,11] with our data from
Summary
Thuja is a small genus of the Cupressaceae family comprising five extant species, of which T.occidentalis L. and T. plicata Donn ex D. T. plicata (Western arborvitae, Pacific red cedar), a tree 50–70 meters tall with arching branches and leaves that are glossy green above and white-striped on the lower surface, is distributed in the Pacific Coastal Mountains and the Rocky Mountains of western North America [1]. Both species are used as a commercial crop and are managed for timber in Europe and North America. Cedar leaf oil can be obtained by steam distillation or hydrodistillation of the foliage and is used for the production of perfumes, insecticides, soaps and deodorants [3,4] The major constituent of the oil, the monoterpene thujone, is used pharmacologically as an active ingredient in the production of nasal decongestants and cough suppressants, perfumes, shoe polishes and soaps, while many cultivars are grown for ornamental purposes [5]
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