Essential oil composition and antimicrobial activity of Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze

Abstract

The present work focuses on to evaluate antimicrobial activity of essential oils of diploidal (unmodified) and polyploidal (biotechnologically modified) Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze forms. Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze is an aromatic perennial plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family and widely use: in perfume industry, in medicine, as herbal remedy, as decorative plant or in anise-flavored spices. It is a natural product to lower the blood pressure, improve metabolism or alleviate cough [2]. The polyploidal form of Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze were cultivated in the Laboratory of Cell Engineering at the Institute of Botany (Lithuania) and at the Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), during the project, that was supported by Science and Studies Foundation of Lithuania (Grant No. N-14/2009). The essential oil of dry material (flowers, leaves and stems) was extracted by hydro-distillation method, for 2 h, using a Clevenger-type apparatus. The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) [1]. The major constituents of the essential oils were estragole (87.5%), limonene (2.4%), 1,8-cineole (2.0%) and globulol (1.4%) [2]. The herb was collected during full-blooming period in 2016. The antimicrobial activity of secondary metabolites in Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze originated from the sector of medicinal plants botanical garden of Vytautas Magnus University Lithuania, were tested by the agar well diffusion method, disk diffusion susceptibility method against different species of microorganisms. Agar well diffusion method and disk diffusion susceptibility method is official methods used in microbiology laboratories for routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing evaluate the antimicrobial activity of plants extracts. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods are published by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) [3].[...]