Volatiles from Selected Apiaceae Species Cultivated in Poland—Antimicrobial Activities

Abstract

As part of our ongoing research on phytoconstituents that can act as promising antimicrobial agents, the essential oils of nine selected Apiaceae plants, cultivated in Poland, were studied. The volatiles of the aerial parts with fruits (herba cum fructi) of Silaum silaus, Seseli devenyense, Seseli libanotis,Ferula assa-foetida, Glehnia littoralis and Heracleum dulce, in addition to the fruits (fructi) of Torilis japonica and Orlaya grandiflora as well as of the aerial parts (herba) of Peucedanum luxurians were investigated through Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry to identify more than 60 different metabolites. The essential oils from S. devenyense, H. dulce, T. japonica and P. luxurians are reported for the first time. All examined species were also assayed for their antimicrobial activities against several human pathogenic Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and fungi. The species H. dulce, S. devenyense and S. libanotis exerted the strongest antimicrobial activity, mostly against Gram-positive bacteria strains (MIC values 0.90–1.20 mg/mL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to determine the antimicrobial activity of the above Apiaceae species.