Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF ESSENTIAL OILS FROM NEPETA SCHIRAZIANA BOISS.

JAVAD SHARIFI-RAD 1, SEYED ABDULMAJID AYATOLLAHI 1,2, ELENA M. VARONI 3, BAHARE SALEHI 4, FARZAD KOBARFARD 1,5, MEHDI SHARIFI-RAD 6, MARCELLO IRITI 7*, MARZIEH SHARIFI-RAD 1

1.Phytochemistry Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2.Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran
3.Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Milan State University, Italy
4.Young Researchers and Elites Club, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
5.Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran
6.Department of Medical Parasitology, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol 61663-335, Iran
7.Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Milan State University, via G. Celoria 2, Milan 20133, Italy

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Nepeta schiraziana Boiss. (Lamiaceae) is a species endemic of Iran used in traditional medicine to treat a number of ailments. This study investigates the chemical composition as well as the cytotoxic, antimicrobial, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory and antioxidant activities of N. schiraziana essential oil (EO). EO chemical composition was analysed by GC-MS. Cytotoxicity was evaluated against MCF-7 and Hep-G2 cancer cells, while antimicrobial activity was assessed against fungi (Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger), Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. Forty-four compounds were identified; the main constituents were 1,8-cineole (33.67%), germacrene D (11.45%), β-caryophyllene (9.88%), caryophyllene oxide (7.34%). N. schiraziana EO showed a concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against both cancer cell lines. It also significantly inhibited the growth of A. niger (MIC 1.85 ± 1.12) and C. albicans (MIC 4.94 ± 3.07 μg/mL). MIC for S. aureus, B. subtilis, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa were 16.37 ± 1.23, 168.22 ± 2.14, 180.99 ± 4.67 and 248.74 ± 5.12 μg/mL, respectively. Slight antiradical and AChE inhibitory activities were measured. This is the first report on the chemical composition and bioactivities of N. schiraziana EO. The antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer properties were confirmed in vitro.