Planta Med 2009; 75 - PI30
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234794

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oils from Tanacetum parthenium and T. polycephalum from Iran

A Chehregani 1, S Hajsadeghian 2, H Amiri 3
  • 1Laboratory of Plant Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Broujerd Section, Broujerd, Iran
  • 2Department of Biology, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
  • 3Laboratory of Plant Chemistry, Department of Biology, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran

The Asteraceae is the largest plant family [1]. The genus Tanacetum, which is an important part of the Asteraceae family, consists of about 150–200 species [2]. These species have traditionally been used as a spicy additive for food, in cosmetics and as herbal remedies due to their biologically-active compounds [3, 4]. The essential oils of air-dried Tanacetum parthenium and T. polycephalum obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Seventy and twenty five components, respectively from the two plants, were identified in the essential oils. The main components of these species were isobornyl acetate and piperitone in the ratios of 15.3% and 20% from T. parthenium and T. polycephalum, respectively. The other major components of T. parthenium oil were camphene (11.12%), camphor (16.75%), bornyl isovalerate (5.98%), 10-epi-γ-eudesmol (2.45%), borneol (11.84%), isobornyl acetate (1.96%), and juniper camphor (5.71%). Camphor (35.11%), 1,8-cineol (9.4%) and borneol (15.4%) were found to be predominant constituents in the oil of T. polycephalum. Our data are different from previously reported ones and the studied specimens should be considered as chemotypes.

The antimicrobial activities of the isolated essential oils of the plants was also investigated against four Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria. They showed moderate to strong antibacterial activity against studied bacteria. The highest zones of inhibition were exhibited by the oil of T. polycephalum, ranging from 15mm against Citrobacter amalonaficus to 26mm for Bacillus cereus. Inhibition zones of T. parthenium varied from 9mm against Staphylococus subtilis to 22mm against Bacillus megaterium. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of T. polycephalum essential oil was close to that of streptomycin, while T. parthenium essential oil was less active.

References: [1] Bremer, K. (1993) Asteraceae. Cladistics and classification. Portland: Timber Press.

[2] Changqing, W. et al. (2006) Food Chem. 96:220–227.

[3] Shinde, P.D. et al. (2007)J. Chromatogr. A 1138:184–189.

[4] Tabanca, N. et al. (2007)J. Pharmaceut. Biomed. 45:714–719.