Chemical compositon, antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Cnidium silaifolium ssp. orientale (Boiss.) Tutin essential oils

The chemical compositions of the essential oils (EOs) obtained by hydrodistillation from different parts of Cnidium silaifolium ssp. orientale (Boiss.) Tutin were analyzed both by GC-FID and GC/MS, simultaneously. One hundred nine compounds representing 90.1% of the total volatiles in the EOs were identified with the main characteristic compounds α-pinene (50.3%) in the root, germacrene D (20.3%) in the fruit, and β-caryophyllene (18.7%) in the aerial parts of C. silaifolium ssp. orientale. The antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria was evaluated by the in vitro microdilution method. Antibacterial succeptibility was observed from the root and aerial part EOs against Staphylococcus aureus (0.039 and 0.156 mg/mL, respectively); while the fruit EO was most effective against Bacillus cereus at 0.07 mg/mL. The antioxidant capacities of the EOs were also evaluated by in vitro DPPH• and ABTS•+ scavenging assays, where no significant activity was observed compared to ascorbic acid and Trolox.