The chemical composition, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities of Pycnocycla spinosa and Pycnocyla flabellifolia essential oils

Abstract The purpose of our study was to compare the chemical compositions and antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Pycnocycla spinosa and Pycnocycla flabellifolia essential oils. cis-Asarone (62.5%) and widdra-2,4(14)-diene (9%) were the main components of P. spinosa aerial part essential oil, while elemicin (60.1%) and caryophyllene oxide (9.8%) were the main components of P. spinosa seed essential oil. α-Phellandrene (25.5%), p-cymene (15.3%), and limonene (13.3%) were found in P. flabellifolia essential oil. The inhibition zone diameters for P. flabellifolia essential oil were significantly higher than for the two other essential oils from P. spinosa (p<0.05). In broth dilution assay (µL/mL), the sensitive microorganism to Pycnocycla sp. (P. spinosa, P. flabellifolia) was Aspergillus niger, followed by Candida albicans. In 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) system, P. spinosa aerial parts essential oil (IC50=548 µg/mL) had higher antioxidant activity than that of two other essential oils.