Juniperus sabina L. essential oils and podophyllotoxin seasonal and interpopulation dynamics

Authors: ZHELJAZKOV, VALTCHO - Oregon State University; SEMERDJIEVA, IVANKA - Agricultural University Plovdiv; DE MARTINO, LAURA - University Of Salerno; Cantrell, Charles; ASTATKIE, TESS - Dalhousie University; FRANCOLINO, ROSARIA - University Of Salerno; MARTINO, MARA - University Of Salerno; RADOUKOVA, TZENKA - Plovdiv University; DE FEO, VINCENZO - University Of Salerno; MANEVA, VASILINA - Institute Of Agriculture Karnobat; ATANASOVA, DINA - Institute Of Agriculture Karnobat; CAPUTO, LUCIA - Institute Of Agriculture Karnobat; ALZAHRANI, ALHANOUF - Oregon State University; BORISOVA, DANIELA - Institute Of Agriculture Karnobat

Submitted to: Industrial Crops and Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2024
Publication Date: 7/11/2024
Citation: Zheljazkov, V., Semerdjieva, I., De Martino, L., Cantrell, C.L., Astatkie, T., Francolino, R., Martino, M., Radoukova, T., De Feo, V., Maneva, V., Atanasova, D., Caputo, L., Alzahrani, A., Borisova, D. 2024. Juniperus sabina L. essential oils and podophyllotoxin seasonal and interpopulation dynamics. Industrial Crops and Products. 219:1-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.119128.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.119128

Interpretive Summary: Juniperus sabina L., commonly known as Savin, is an evergreen shrub from Cupressaceae family, native to a wide range of regions and grown extensively all over the world as an ornamental. J. sabina contains two valuable natural products; essential oil (EO), and podophyllotoxin. The EO is known for various bioactivities, while podophyllotoxin, is currently used as a precursor for anticancer drugs. The hypothesis of this work was that J. sabina from natural populations in Bulgaria would have desirable EO profile and bioactivity. Furthermore, we may be able to identify plants in the natural populations with high concentration of podophyllotoxin to be utilized as a source for commercial production of this lignan. The objectives of the study were: (1) Assessment of EO profile variability including seasonal, within populations, and between natural populations of J. sabina in Bulgaria; (2) Assessment of the potential biopesticidal effect of J. sabina EO from natural populations, (3) Assessment of antioxidant and enzymatic activities of J. sabina EO. This study revealed that the EO content and composition of J. sabina varied between plant populations but also within a population. The concentration of individual EO constituents in J. sabina varied significantly depending on location, sample number, and sex of the plant and was also influenced by the collection time seasons (months) of the year.

Technical Abstract: Juniperus sabina L., commonly known as Savin, is an evergreen shrub from Cupressaceae family, native to a wide range of regions and grown extensively all over the world as an ornamental. J. sabina contains two valuable natural products; essential oil (EO), and podophyllotoxin. The EO is known for various bioactivities, while podophyllotoxin, is currently used as a precursor for anticancer drugs. The hypothesis of this work was that J. sabina from natural populations in Bulgaria would have desirable EO profile and bioactivity. Furthermore, we may be able to identify plants in the natural populations with high concentration of podophyllotoxin to be utilized as a source for commercial production of this lignan. The objectives of the study were: (1) Assessment of EO profile variability including seasonal, within populations, and between natural populations of J. sabina in Bulgaria; (2) Assessment of the potential biopesticidal effect of J. sabina EO from natural populations, (3) Assessment of antioxidant and enzymatic activities of J. sabina EO. Overall, the EO content and composition varied between plant populations but also within a population. Furthermore, there were differences in the concentration EO profile between female (F) and male (M) plants, as well as between different seasons (months) of the year. Overall, sabinene (10.1-66.8% of the total EO), myrtenyl acetate (from non-detected to 57.2%), a-pinene (2.6-8.6%), myrcene (2.85-4.5%), a-thujone (non detected – 10.9%), ß-thujone (non-detected to 9.9 %), and germacrene-4-ol (3.0-10.3%) were the major EO constituents. The monoterpenes were from 89.5 to 92.75 and sesquiterpenes were 7.1-6.7% of the EO. The EO yield varied significantly from 0.61 to 3.8% in dried biomass, while the concentration of podophyllotoxin varied from 0.009 to 0.159% in dried biomass, depending on location, sample #, and sex of the plant. Overall, the DPPH assay showed greater antioxidant activity of the EO from F plants in all months evaluated. However, in FRAP assay, the EO from M plants were the most active, especially in those from samples collected in January, March, May, July.