Essential oils from Leptospermums of the Sunshine Coast and Northern Rivers Regions

Chemistry Central Journal, May 2012

Background Around the turn of this century, the oil yield and chemical composition of Australian Leptospermum species was analysed. Since that time, research has been focused on their use as phytomedicines. The oil yield and composition of essential oils from Australian Leptospermum species directly impacts their commercialisation for medicinal use. Results The essential oils from Leptospermum (L.) juniperinum, L. laevigatum, L. liversidgei, L. polygalifolium, L. semibaccatum, L. speciosum, L. trinervium and L. whitei have been examined from specimens in the Sunshine Coast (Queensland) and Northern Rivers (New South Wales) Regions. Both chemotypes of L. liversidgei were observed. However, only chemotype II of L. semibaccatum and chemotype I of L. trinervium were identified. The only subspecies observed of L. polygalifolium was L. polygalifolium wallum. Conclusions L. liversidgei chemotypes I and II have the potential for phytomedical use as antibacterial or anti-inflammatory agents. Chemotype I has the potential for use as an insect repellent and chemotype II may provide antifungal activity.

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Essential oils from Leptospermums of the Sunshine Coast and Northern Rivers Regions

Chemistry Central Journal Essential oils from Leptospermums of the Sunshine Coast and Northern Rivers Regions Sarah Alison Michelle Windsor 0 Peter Brooks 0 0 School of Science, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast , Maroochydore DC Qld 4558 , Australia Background: Around the turn of this century, the oil yield and chemical composition of Australian Leptospermum species was analysed. Since that time, research has been focused on their use as phytomedicines. The oil yield and composition of essential oils from Australian Leptospermum species directly impacts their commercialisation for medicinal use. Results: The essential oils from Leptospermum (L.) juniperinum, L. laevigatum, L. liversidgei, L. polygalifolium, L. semibaccatum, L. speciosum, L. trinervium and L. whitei have been examined from specimens in the Sunshine Coast (Queensland) and Northern Rivers (New South Wales) Regions. Both chemotypes of L. liversidgei were observed. However, only chemotype II of L. semibaccatum and chemotype I of L. trinervium were identified. The only subspecies observed of L. polygalifolium was L. polygalifolium wallum. Conclusions: L. liversidgei chemotypes I and II have the potential for phytomedical use as antibacterial or anti-inflammatory agents. Chemotype I has the potential for use as an insect repellent and chemotype II may provide antifungal activity. Leptospermum; Laevigatum; Liversidgei; Polygalifolium; Semibaccatum; Trinervium; Whitei; Essential oils; GC-MS - Background Between 1998 and 2000 Brophy and co-workers published a series of seven papers on the oil yield and chemical composition of Australian Leptospermum species. The three principal components in Leptospermum (L.) juniperinum essential oils (yield 0.1–0.2%) collected in South East Queensland (SEQ) and the Southern Highlands New South Wales (NSW) were α-pinene, 1,8-cineole and caryophyllene E, but with significant variation in the proportions of these components [1]. The principal components in L. laevigatum essential oils (yield 0.1%) from the Mid-North Coast NSW were caryophyllene E or (E,E)-farnesol [2]. L. liversidgei essential oil samples from SEQ, Northern Rivers Region NSW and Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges Region Victoria showed a range of oil yield from 0.3–2.7% and identified two extremes in chemical composition (high in isopulegol and citronellal and high in neral and geranial) [3]. L. polygalifolium wallum essential oil samples from SEQ showed a range of oil yield from 0.2–0.8% and was composed primarily of the monoterpenes: αpinene, β-pinene and 1,8-cineole; but the sesquiterpene alcohols did not contribute much to this oil [4]. Monoterpenes (α-pinene and β-pinene) predominated in L. semibaccatum chemotype II essential oils (yield 0.04–0.2%) collected in SEQ, but the sesquiterpenes: caryophyllene E, bicyclogermacrene and δ-cadinene; and the alcohols: globulol, spathulenol, cadinol and muurolol; were also present in significant amounts [2]. The principal component of L. speciosum essential oils (yield 0.5–1.3%) collected from SEQ and Northern Rivers Region NSW was α-pinene [5]. L. trinervium chemotype I essential oil samples from SEQ and the Southern Highlands NSW showed a range of oil yield from 0.1–0.4% and contained significant quantities of α-pinene, sabinene, 1,8-cineole, p-cymene, pcymen-8-ol, caryophyllene E, viridiflorene, germacrene D, bicycolgermacrene, globulol, viridiflorol and spathulenol [2]. The main monoterpene hydrocarbon, sesquiterpene hydrocarbon and oxygenated terpene found in L. whitei essential oils (yield 0.2–0.3%) collected in SEQ were αpinene, caryophyllene E and spathulenol, respectively [5]. Intra species variation has been proposed to be dependent on location or collecting season or both [6]. Locational and seasonal variation of essential oils from individual species have been examined in this work. The widespread occurrence of multiple antibiotic-resistant organisms in hospital and community settings suggests new antimicrobial agents, preferable with novel mechanisms of action, are required and it seemed prudent to reexamine previously superseded products such as phytomedicines [7]. As opposed to most antimicrobial agents currently used for air disinfection, essential oils are low in toxicity and could be used in different environments, while people are present. They possess high volatility that is not seen in other non-toxic antimicrobial agents. Essential oils are complex mixtures which often are superior for reducing bacterial viable counts than a single active compound in both the absolute effect and in the speed of action. This is probably caused by the presence of minor compounds, like p-cymene, which can cause swelling of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane and makes it more permeable for active compounds [8]. Essential oils have been found to provide high zones of inhibition against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in disc diffusion assays. Lemon grass single ess (...truncated)


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Sarah Alison Michelle Windsor, Peter Brooks. Essential oils from Leptospermums of the Sunshine Coast and Northern Rivers Regions, Chemistry Central Journal, 2012, pp. 38, Volume 6, Issue 1, DOI: 10.1186/1752-153X-6-38