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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » Natural Products Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #383739

Research Project: Biopesticide Discovery and Development

Location: Natural Products Utilization Research

Title: Essential oil and bioactivity of two juniper species from Bulgaria and Slovakia

Author
item ZHELJAZKOV, VALTCHO - Oregon State University
item Cantrell, Charles
item SEMERDJIEVA, IVANKA - Agricultural University Of Bulgaria
item RADOUKOVA, TZENKA - Plovdiv University
item STOYANOVA, ALBENA - Plovdiv University
item MANEVA, VASILINA - Institute Of Agriculture Karnobat
item KACANIOVA, MIROSLAVA - Slovak University Of Agriculture
item ASTATKIE, TESS - Dalhousie University
item BORISOVA, DANIELA - Vrachanski Balkan
item DINCHEVA, IVAYLA - Bulgarian Academy Of Sciences
item SALAMON, IVAN - University Of Presov

Submitted to: Molecules
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/9/2021
Publication Date: 6/15/2021
Citation: Zheljazkov, V.D., Cantrell, C.L., Semerdjieva, I., Radoukova, T., Stoyanova, A., Maneva, V., Kacaniova, M., Astatkie, T., Borisova, D., Dincheva, I., Salamon, I. 2021. Essential oil and bioactivity of two juniper species from Bulgaria and Slovakia. Molecules. 2021, 26, 3659.

Interpretive Summary: Juniper (Juniperus L.) species are some of the most widely distributed plants on the planet. Most junipers contain essential oil (EO) with specific aroma, while some also contain podophyllotoxin. The EO of some juniper species extracted from leaves, wood, or berries (galbuli) is used as a major aromatic agent in numerous consumer products. Podophyllotoxin is used in the development of commercially available anti-cancer drugs etoposide and teniposide used against neuroblastoma, testicular cancer, lung cancer, hepatoma, and others. The EO profile and podophyllotoxin concentration depend on juniper species, sex (most junipers are dioecious), but may also depend on subspecies/chemotype, the environment, the plant part from which it is extracted (leaves, galbuli, or wood), and the extraction procedure. Two separate studies are described here: The objective of the first study was to assess variability in EO profile and podophyllotoxin concentration of Juniperus sabina, and J. excelsa depending on the location and sex of the tree. The objective of the second experiment was to assess the effect of EO extraction (hydrodistillation using Clevenger type apparatus vs steam distillation in a semi-commercial facility) on EO profile and bioactivity of J. sabina and J. excelsa. The extraction type did not significantly alter the EO composition. Overall, the EO profile of the two junipers and accessions was quite different and may be of interest to the EO industry utilizing juniper leaf essential oil. The repellent and insecticidal effects of J. sabina (M, F) and J. excelsa EO are reported against aphids.

Technical Abstract: Junipers contain natural products, the most important being essential oil (EO) and podophyllo-toxin. The essential oil (EO) of juniper species has wide applications in various products. Podo-phyllotoxin is a toxin currently extracted from the Himalayan mayapple (Podophyllum hexandrum Royle), it is used as a precursor to the commercially available anti-cancer drugs etoposide and teniposide, and it is found in some junipers. The EO profile and podophyllotoxin concentration depend on juniper species, sex (most junipers are dioecious), but may also depend on subspe-cies/chemotype, the environment, the plant part from which it is extracted (leaves, galbuli, or wood), and the extraction procedure. Two separate studies are described here: The objective of the first study was to assess variability in EO profile and podophyllotoxin concentration of Juniperus sabina, and J. excelsa depending on the location and sex of the tree. Overall, the EO of J. sabina (1.98%) was higher than that of J. excelsa (1.16%). The EO content in J. excelsa varied from 0.69 to 1.87%, whereas the EO content in J. sabina was 1.3-2.1%. The main EO constituents of J. excelsa were a-cedrol (29.09-32.5%), a-limonene (24.14-26.36%) and a-pinene (19.71-22.53%), while the ones in J. sabina were sabinene (16.68-30.98%), terpinene-4-ol (9.25-13.63%), myrtenyl acetate (1.32-23.02%), elemol (8.45-13.70%), and a-cadinol (3.47-3.77%). Podophyllotoxin yield from the leaves of eighteen J. sabina accessions was 0.07-0.32% (w/w) while it was not found in J. excelsa accessions. The objective of the second experiment was to assess the effect of EO extraction (hydrodistillation using Clevenger type apparatus vs steam distillation in a semi-commercial facility) on EO profile and bioactivity of J. sabina and J. excelsa. The extraction type did not significantly alter the EO compo-sition. Overall, the EO profile of the two junipers and accessions was quite different and may be of interest to the EO industry utilizing juniper leaf essential oil. However, J. sabina and J. excelsa are protected species and therefore, their natural populations may not be utilized for commercial production of EO of podophyllotoxin. Therefore, it is suggested that breeding and selection programs be developed with the two junipers to identify chemotypes with (1) high EO content and desirable composition (in both junipers), and (2) high concentration of podophyllotoxin in J. sabina. Such chemotypes can be eventually developed into agricultural crops that can be used as a source for commercial production of podophyllotoxin and EO.