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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #310109
Title: Chemical composition and biological activity of haplophyllum tuberculatum juss. essential oil

Author
item AL-REHAILY, ADNAN - King Saud University
item ALQASOUMI, SALEH - King Saud University
item YUSUFOGLU, HASAN - King Abdulaziz University
item AL-YAHYA, MOHAMMED - King Saud University
item DEMIRCI, BETUL - Anadolu Universtiy
item TABANCA, NURHAYAT - University Of Mississippi
item Wedge, David
item DEMIRCI, FATIH - Anadolu Universtiy
item Bernier, Ulrich
item Becnel, James
item TEMEL, HALIDE - Anadolu Universtiy
item CAN BASER, KEMAL - King Saud University

Submitted to: Taylor and Francis Group
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/23/2013
Publication Date: 8/24/2014
Citation: Al-Rehaily, A.J., Alqasoumi, S.I., Yusufoglu, H.S., Al-Yahya, M.A., Demirci, B., Tabanca, N., Wedge, D.E., Demirci, F., Bernier, U.R., Becnel, J.J., Temel, H.E., Can Baser, K.H. 2014. Chemical composition and biological activity of haplophyllum tuberculatum juss. essential oil. Taylor and Francis Group. 17(3):452-459.

Interpretive Summary: Scientist at the USDA-ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology and USDA-ARS Natural Products Research Utilization Research Unit collaborated with researchers from Saudi Arabia and Turkey to identify chemicals in the oil of a local Saudi Arabian plant called, “Musaikah” (Haplophyllum tuberculatum). The plant is used in folk medicine to treat ailments such as malaria and arthritis. The oil was tested for its ability as an antifungal, and for its ability to kill and repel mosquitoes. The oils was not toxic, but was repellent to mosquitoes; although, not as repellent as the well known standard repellent, DEET. The results of this study benefit people at risk of mosquito attack throughout the world, and may be of specific use to researchers and commercial entities that are developing new repellents for personal protection from mosquito attack.

Technical Abstract: The essential oil of Haplophyllum tuberculatum was prepared by hydrodistillation of the fresh flowering aerial parts of the plant collected from Saudi Arabia. The oil was subsequently analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Thirty seven compounds, accounting for 96.4 % of the oil composition were identified. The major components were trans-p-menth-2-en-1-ol (19.2 %), cis-p-menth-2-en-1-ol (13.2 %), myrcene (10.1 %), d-3-carene (8.8 %), ß-phellandrene (6.9 %), limonene (6.6 %) and cis-piperitol (6.4 %). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was determined using the broth microdilution method against various human pathogens, where a relatively low inhibitory range was observed (MIC 1 mg/mL). Furthermore, the oil was evaluated for its antifungal activity against the strawberry anthracnose-causing fungal plant pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum, C. fragariae and C. gloeosporioides using the direct overlay bioautography assay. The essential oil showed no antifungal activity at 80 and 160 µg/spot concentrations compared to commercial antifungal standards. The oil was also investigated for its insecticidal and repellent activity against Aedes aegypti. The oil was repellent to the yellow fever mosquito Ae. aegypti using the “cloth patch assay” down to a concentration of 0.074 mg/cm2; however, the oil had low toxicity against first instar larvae and adults of Ae. aegypti in a high throughput larval bioassay and adult topical assay. Additionally, enzyme activity was measured using the spectrophotometric Ellman method. The oil showed weakly acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity at the tested concentration, compared to standard substances, whereas no inhibition on butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activity was observed.