Biological activity of Bunium persicum essential oil from western Himalaya

Authors: STAPPEN, IRIS - UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA; TABANCA, NURHAYAT - UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI; ALI, ABBAS - UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI; WEDGE, DAVID; WANNER, JUGEN - KURT KITZING CO.; GOCHEV, VELIZAR - PLOVDIV UNIVERSITY; JAITAK, VIKAS - INSTITUTE OF HIMALAYAN BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY; LAL, BRIJ - UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB; KAUL, VIJAY - INSTITUTE OF HIMALAYAN BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY; SCHMIDT, ERICH - PLOVDIV UNIVERSITY; JIROVETZ, LEOPOLD - UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Submitted to: Planta Medica International Open
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/2017
Publication Date: 7/14/2017
Citation: Stappen, I., Tabanca, N., Ali, A., Wedge, D.E., Wanner, J., Gochev, V., Jaitak, V., Lal, B., Kaul, V.K., Schmidt, E., Jirovetz, L. 2017. Biological activity of Bunium persicum essential oil from western Himalaya. Planta Medica International Open. e52-e58. https://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-106857.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-106857

Interpretive Summary: Essential oils from black-caraway (Bunium persicum, Apiaceae) was investigated for the biopesticidal and antimicrobial activity. Black-caraway is an aromatic perennial plant native to the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan) and western to middle Asia. In continuation of our studies on screening EOs from medicinal plants growing wild [10, 11] or cultivated in the western Himalayan region [12], the main purpose of the present investigation was to examine the EO of B. persicum. The essential oil was tested for antimicrobial activities, mosquito biting deterrence and larvicidal effect against Aedes aegypti.

Technical Abstract: The essential oil of Bunium persicum (Apiaceae) collected from cultivated sources in the cold desert area of Lahaul-Spiti is described for its antimicrobial, larvicidal and biting deterrent activities. Additionally, odor characterization is given. The chemical composition of the essential oil was analysed by simultaneous GC-MS and GC-FID. y-Terpinene and p-cymene were found as the major compounds. Antibacterial testing by agar dilution assay revealed low activity of the oil against all tested bacteria. Antifungal activity was evaluated against Candida albicans as well as three species of the strawberry anthracnose causing plant pathogen Colletotrichum. Bunium persicum essential oil demonstrated antifungal activity against all four pathogens. Biting deterrent activity against Aedes aegypti was greater than the solvent control but significantly lower than DEET. The essential oil of B. persicum exhibited larvicidal activity with LC50 value of 58.6 ppm against Ae. aegypti larvae.