Chemical Composition and Activity of Essential Oils of Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC. Cultivated in Tunisia and Its Anatomical Features |
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Authors: | Fedia Souilem Asma El Ayeb Brahim Djlassi Olfa Ayari Wiem Chiboub Faten Arbi Roberta Ascrizzi Guido Flamini Fethia Harzallah‐Skhiri |
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Institution: | 1. Laboratory of Bioresources, Integrative Biology and Valorization (LR14‐ES06), High Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia;2. Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biologically Active Substances, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia;3. Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy |
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Abstract: | This is the first study investigating the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) isolated from different tissues of Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl .) A.DC., their antimicrobial activity and the anatomical characters of the aerial organs and the fruits. The main EO components were pentadecanal and tetradecan‐1‐ol (31.9 and 16.5% in fresh leaf EO, respectively), (E)‐nerolidol and caryophyllene oxide (27.3 and 15.0% in fruit EO, respectively), linalool and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (30.9 and 24.9% in stem EO, respectively), benzyl benzoate (24.3% in flower EO). The fruit EO was more active against Candida albicans (MIC = 0.46 mg/mL) compared to the reference antibiotic (17.66 mg/mL). Furthermore, at this concentration it inhibited all the Gram‐positive bacteria. Concerning the anatomical features, it is noteworthy to mention the presence of a large cluster of calcium oxalate crystals inside some parenchymatous cells. Large ducts corresponding to non articulated laticifers were identified in the cortex of leaf, stem and fruit pericarp. The laticifers categories and their distribution are taxonomically important to discriminate this species from others acclimated in different countries. Considering the obtained results, EOs of C. macrocarpa can be a good source of antimicrobial compounds, contributing to solve the problem of microbial resistance to antibiotics. |
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Keywords: |
Carissa macrocarpa
pentadecanal linalool microorganisms laticifers calcium oxalate druses |
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