Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of the Essential Oil and Solvent Extracts of Scaligeria Nodosa

Abstract

Background:The essential oil and three solvent extracts of the aerial parts ofScaligeria nodosa(Boiss.) that were collected in Bamu Mountains (Iran), were screened for their antioxidant, antimicrobial properties and total phenolic contents for the first time.Methods:The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC flame ionization detector (GC-FID).Results:Forty five components were identified in the oil, among them, germacrene D (18.1±0.1%), bicyclogermacrene (1.4±0.0%), and spathunelnol (2.7±0.0%) were the major sesquiterpenoids,n-tetradecanol (4.9±0.0%) was the most abundant fatty alcohol and diisobuthyl phthalate (43.9±0.2%) was the most abundant constituent. The extracts of aerial parts ofSc. nodosawere prepared using different solvents; dichloromethane (DCM), methanol (MeOH) and MeOH: H2O (80:20). Antibacterial activity of the oil and each solvent extract was tested against three Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacteria by nutrient broth micro dilution method. Among the tested microorganisms,Staphylococcus epidermidis(IC501.25-5mg/ml),Bacillus subtilis(IC501.25mg/ml) andEscherichia coli(IC501.25mg/ml) were the most susceptible to the applied oils and the extracts. The antioxidant potential and total phenol contents of the extracts were assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and Folin- Ciocalteu reagent, respectively. Methanol and 80% methanol extracts of the plant showed relatively weak DPPH radical scavenging activity and low amounts of total phenol contents.