Essential Oils of Endemic Species Satureja Subspicata

Research into Microscopic Structure and Essential Oils of Endemic Medicinal Plant Species Satureja Subspicata Bartl. Ex Vis. (lamiaceae)

 

Abstract

In this study we looked into the cells and histological organization of leaves (Saturejae folium) as well as a phyto-chemical composition of overground parts (Saturejae herba) of endemic species Satureja subspicata Bartl. ex Vis. (Lamiaceae) collected during year 2003 on south slopes of mountain Velez in Herzegovina. Microscopic organization was analyzed in wet slides using light microscope. Estimation of stomata index was done according to Ph. Yug. IV.

Chemical composition of overground material extracts was determined by thin layer chromatography (TLC) using thymol as a reference. In our research we found the following: Leaf structure of the analyzed species Satureja subspicata points at numerous specifi cities in anatomical and histological sense. In histological sense, leaf is of ventral type, with differentiated upper and lower epidermis and palisade and spongy tissue in between. Stoma index assigned according to Ph. Yug. IV leads to a conclusion that it is the case of diastitic stomata, which is common feature of most species from Lamiaceae family.

Comparative qualitative analysis of essential oils in species Satureja subspicata showed similarities with other species from Lamiaceae family such as Thymus L. (thymol). In fact, we found more common substances that are part of the species Satureja montana L. extract, but in diff erent concentrations.

Introduction

The application of medicinal plants with essential oils is continuously rising. Aromatic plants and essential oils are used in pharmaceutical and chemical industries but also in pharmacies for mixing of various sanative preparations.

One of the advantages of essential oils therapy is the simplicity of their application. It can be part of regular care (bath, face care etc.) without changes in everyday routine (2, 3, 4, 5). Identifi cation of pharmaco-dynamic characteristics and antimicrobial activity of isolated plant components are set up as main tasks, which imply successful phytochemical research. Today, those are undertaken in order to find new cures from nature, especially from chemically low examined or unknown plants (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11). Essential oils are mixtures of aliphatic, aromatic and hydro-aromatic substances as well as various carbohydrates, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, phenols, acids etc. (12, 13) (Figure 1). Two very important phenols, thymol and carvacrol, are known to possess antiseptic properties for a long time. Th ey can be found in Th ymus serpyllum L. s. lat., Origanum vulgare L., Ocimum basilicum L. and Satureja hortensis L (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19). Certain extent of antimicrobial activity is experimentally demonstrated for
citral, citronellal, cinnamon and oil-aldehyde, cineole, some gumerzines and other ingredients.

Genus Satureja L. is represented with several species in the flora of B&H. Many of those are endemic and relic elements. Th ey are widely applied in ethno-medicine and ethnobotany of old. Signifi cant proportion are offi cinal plants that have important role in the contemporary pharmaceutical industry. Due to their content of various essential oils and antimicrobial eff ects they are widely used in various types of phyto-therapies and cosmetics.

However, many species are not thoroughly studied.

One of them is Satureja subspicata. It is an endemic Balkan species, which, in our country, is found in the area of sub-Mediterranean rocks (20). Therefore, we designed this study in order to conduct basic biological and phytochemical research using applicable methods. The amount of reference data in this area demonstrates an increasing interest in exploration of biological, phyto-chemical, pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical/technological properties of the most common species of this type (21, 22, 23).

Research study as pdf file free for download: Research study of Endemic Species Satureja Subspicata Essential Oils

 

Sulejman Redžić¹,³, Mijat Tuka², Anisa Pajević³

1. Lab. of Natural Products, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 33-35, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

2. Private Pharmacy „Kiseljak“ Kraljice mira 18, 71250 Kiseljak, Bosnia and Herzegovina

3. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Čekaluša 90, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

* Corresponding author