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This study investigated the chemical composition, in vitrocytotoxic, and antimicrobial activities of the essential oil isolated from the flower of Diospyros discolorfrom Taiwan. The essential oil was isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS. Twenty-eight compounds were identified, representing 100% of the oil. The main components identified were (2Z,6E)-farnesol (35.0%), α-cadinol (10.9%), (E)-nerolidol (6.9%), α-humulene (6.0%), τ-cadinol (5.6%), β-caryophyllene (5.3%), and τ-muurolol (5.3%). The oil exhibited cytotoxic activity against human colon, liver, and lung cancer cells. The active compounds were β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, τ-cadinol, τ-muurolol, α-cadinol, and (2Z,6E)-farnesol. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested by the disc diffusion and micro-broth dilution methods against ten microbial species. The oil exhibited moderate to strong growth suppression against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Candida albicans, with inhibition zones of 40 to 52 mm and MIC values of 31.25–62.5 μg/mL, respectively. For the antimicrobial activities of the oil, the active compounds were determined to be α-cadinol, τ-cadinol, τ-muurolol and (2Z,6E)-farnesol.

In this study, anti-mildew activities of the essential oils of the leaves, wood, twigs, flowers, and their constituents from Michelia compressavar. formosanawere evaluated in vitroagainst 7 mildew fungi. The main compounds responsible for the anti-mildew activities were isolated and identified. The essential oils from the fresh leaves, wood, twigs, and flowers of M. compressavar. formosanawere isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS. The essential oil yield from the flowers was the highest, and the oils obtained from the 4 parts of the tree were composed mainly of sesquiterpenoids. The leaf oil consisted primarily of α-cadinol (18.9%) and germacrene D (18.5%); the twig oil's main constituent was α-cadinol (19.1%); the wood oil's major components were α-cadinol (25.7%) and β-eudesmol (20.2%); and the flower oil contained α-cadinol (11.4%). Comparing the anti-mildew activities of the oils suggested that wood oil was the most effective. Further fractionation of the wood oil produced α-cadinol, β-eudesmol, τ-cadinol, and elemol. The 4 compounds exhibit very strong anti-mildew activities, and these in descending order are α-cadinol, elemol, β-eudesmol, and τ-cadinol. For the anti-mildew activities of the wood oil, the active source compounds were determined to be α-cadinol, elemol, β-eudesmol, and τ-cadinol.

In this study, anti-mildew and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the leaf and fruits essential oil and its constituents from Juniperus formosanawere evaluated in vitroagainst seven mildew fungi and four wood decay fungi, respectively. The main compounds responsible for the anti-mildew and anti-wood-decay fungal activities were also identified. The essential oil from the fresh leaves and fruits of J. formosanawere isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS, respectively. The leaf oil mainly consisted of α-pinene (41.0%), limonene (11.5%), α-cadinol (11.0%), elemol (6.3%), and β-myrcene (5.8%); the fruit oil was mostly α-pinene (40.9%), β-myrcene (32.4%), α-thujene (5.9%) and limonene (5.9%). Comparing the anti-mildew and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the oils suggested that the leaf oil was the most effective. For the anti-mildew and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the leaf oil, the active source compounds were determined to be α-cadinol and elemol.

This study investigated the chemical composition and in vitroanticancer activities of the essential oil isolated from the leaf of Neolitsea variabillima.The essential oil was isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS. Sixty-seven compounds were identified, representing 100% of the oil. The main components identified were trans-β-ocimene (13.4%), α-cadinol (10.5%), terpinen-4-ol (9.3%), τ-cadinol (9.2%), β-caryophyllene (8.8%), and sabinene (6.7%). The anticancer activities of oil were evaluated. The results showed that the oil exhibited cytotoxic activity against human oral, liver, lung, colon, melanoma, and leukemic cancer cells. The presence of β-caryophyllene, τ-cadinol, and α-cadinol significantly contributed to the anticancer activities of N. variabillimaleaf oil.

This study investigated the chemical composition, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities in vitroof the essential oil isolated from the heartwood of Cunninghamia lanceolatavar. konishiifrom Taiwan. The essential oil was isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS. Thirty-seven compounds were identified, representing 100% of the oil. The main components identified were cedrol (58.3%), α-cedrene (11.8%), α-terpineol (4.2%) and β-cedrene (3.5%). The oil exhibited cytotoxic activity against human lung, liver and oral cancer cells. The active source compound was cedrol. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested by the disc diffusion and micro-broth dilution methods against ten microbial species. The oil exhibited strong growth suppression against Gram-positive bacteria and yeast with inhibition zones of 42~50 mm to MIC values of 31.25~62.5 μg/mL, respectively. For the antimicrobial activities of the oil, the active compound was determined to be cedrol.

In this study, antipathogenic activities of the twig essential oil and its constituents from Chamaecyparis formosensisMatsum were evaluated in vitroagainst six plant pathogenic fungi. The essential oil from the fresh twigs was isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS. Twenty-five compounds were identified, representing 98.9% of the oil. The main components were β-eudesmol (25.1%), τ-muurolol (21.6%), elemol (15.0%), totarol (14.9%), and α-cadinol (12.4%). The twig oil (500 μg/mL) showed growth inhibitory activity against the phytopathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum, Pestalotiopsis funereal, and Ganoderma austral, with antifungal indices of 92.7%, 71.1%, and 87.7%, respectively. In addition, the oil suppressed totally the growth of Rhizoctonia solani, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Fusarium solani.In order to ascertain the source compounds of these antipathogenic activities, the main components were individually evaluated. τ-Muurolol and α-cadinol exhibited excellent activity against F. oxysporum, R. solani, C. gloeosporioides, and F. solani, with IC50< 50 μg/mL. These compounds also efficiently inhibited the mycelial growths of P. funerealand G. austral.Thus, α-cadinol and τ-muurolol could be considered as potential natural fungicides for controlling fungal pathogens and worth.

The chemical composition, and antimicrobial and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the essential oils isolated from the leaves and twigs of Litsea acutivenaof Taiwan were investigated. The essential oils from the fresh leaves and twigs were isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC–FID and GC–MS. Ninety-five and fifty-two compounds were identified in the leaf and twig oils, respectively. The main components of the leaf oil were γ-patchoulene (11.0%), δ-cadinene (6.3%), trans-muurola-3,5-diene (5.9%), and β-selinene (5.3%), whereas the main components of the twig oil were τ-cadinol (13.1%), β-selinene (9.6%), trans-β-ocimene (6.2%) and α-cadinol (7.7%). Bioactivity studies demonstrated that twig oil had excellent antimicrobial and anti-wood-decay fungal activities, superior to those of the leaf oil. For the antimicrobial and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the twig oil, the active compounds were determined to be τ-cadinol and α-cadinol.

The hydrodistillated leaf essential oil of Neolitsea parvigemmawas analyzed to determine its composition and yield. Sixty-two compounds were identified, the main components being β-caryophyllene (14.2%), β-eudesmol (12.9%), α-cadinol (10.2%) and τ-cadinol (8.8%). Oxygenated sesquiterpenes (48.9%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (48.8%) were the predominant groups of compounds. The antifungal indexes of the leaf oil against the 7 fungi, Aspergillus clavatus, A. niger, Chaetomium globosum, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Myrothecium verrucaria, Penicillium citrinumand Trichoderma viride, were 100.0, 72.3, 100.0, 100.0, 100.0, 75.8 and 88.6% at a 1 mg/mL concentration, respectively. The oil also exhibited anti-wood-decay-fungi activity against Trametes versicolor, Phaneochaete chrysosporium, Phaeolus schweintizii, and Lenzites sulphureuwith MIC values of 50, 50, 25 and 25 μg/mL, respectively. For the antifungal and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the oil, the active source compounds were determined to be α-cadinol, β-eudesmol and τ-cadinol.

This study analyzed the hydrodistilled essential oils in the leaves and twigs of Litsea akoensisto determine composition and yield. Seventy-one and 40 compounds were identified in the leaf and twig oils, respectively. The main components of leaf oil were limonene (18.5%), thymol (10.1%), p-cymene (9.6%), β-caryophyllene (8.9%), and carvacrol (8.2%). The main components of twig oil were β-phellandrene (43.7%) and trans-β-ocimene (10.4%). The results demonstrated that leaf oil had excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, superior to those of twig oil.

The hydrodistillated leaf essential oil of Machilus kusanoiwas analyzed to determine its composition and yield. Twenty-three compounds were identified, the main components being β-caryophyllene (23.3%), β-eudesmol (17.1%), α-terpineol (16.0%), n-dodecanal (14.2%), and n-decanal (10.4%). Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (28.1%) and non-terpenoids (25.0%) were the predominant groups of compounds. The leaf oil exhibited excellent antimicrobial and anti-wood-decay fungal activities.

The hydrodistillated seed essential oil of Calocedrus formosanawas analyzed to determine its composition and yield. Twenty-seven compounds were identified, the main ones being α-pinene (63.8%), totarol (9.9%) and ferruginol (8.9%). Monoterpene hydrocarbons (73.5%) and oxygenated diterpenes (18.8%) were the predominant groups of compounds. The seed essential oil exhibited excellent antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-wood-decay fungal activities.

The hydrodistilled essential oils of the leaves and twigs of Litsea mushaensisand L. liniiwere analyzed. Sixty-nine and ninety compounds were identified in the leaf and twig oils, respectively, of L. mushaensis.The main components of the leaf oil were β-eudesmol (24.2%), τ-cadinol (10.2%), α-humulene (10.1%), α-pinene (9.7%), and trans-β-ocimene (6.5%), whereas the main components of the twig oil were trans-β-ocimene (19.5%), α-pinene (12.8%) and cis-β-ocimene (7.7%). With L. linii, 72 and 78 compounds were respectively identified in the leaf and twig oils. The main components of the leaf oil were β-selinene (15.7%), α-selinene (15.5%), β-caryophyllene (12.2%), α-humulene (7.2%), and δ-cadinene (5.6%), and of the twig oil trans-β-ocimene (20.8%), β-selinene (11.4%), α-cadinol (6.0%), δ-cadinene (5.8%), τ-cadinol (5.4%) and β-eudesmol (5.2%). L. mushaensisleaf oil was shown to have excellent antimicrobial and anti-wood-decay fungal activity, superior to the other oils.

The hydrodistilled leaf essential oil of Litsea coreanawas analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. Fifty-two compounds were identified, the main components being n-decanal (27.5%), 2E,6E-farnesol (25.8%), β-eudesmol (10.3%), ethyl n-dodecanoate (8.0%) and τ-cadinol (6.6%). Oxygenated sesquiterpenes (56.8%) and non-terpenoids (37.0%) were the predominant groups of compounds. The leaf oil exhibited excellent antifungal and anti-wood-decay fungal activities.

The hydrodistillated leaf essential oil of Machilus pseudolongifoliawas analyzed to determine its composition and yield. Seventy compounds were identified, the main components being β-eudesmol (26.8%), α-cadinol (20.8%), viridiflorene (8.9%), α-caryophyllene (5.3%), globulol (4.6%) and β-caryophyllene (4.2%). Oxygenated sesquiterpenes (60.1%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (31.4%) were the predominant groups of compounds. The leaf oil exhibited excellent antimicrobial and anti-wood-decay fungal activities.

The leaf and fruit essential oils of Litsea cubeba, extracted by hydrodistillation, were assessed for anticancer activities. A total of 53 and 50 compounds were identified, respectively from the leaf and fruit oils, and their yields were 13.9 ± 0.09% and 4.0 ± 0.03%, v/w, of the oven-dried materials, respectively. The main compound in the leaf oil was 1,8-cineol, and in the fruit oil, citral. The fruit oil, but not that of the leaf, exhibited cytotoxic activity against human lung, liver and oral cancer cells.

The hydrodistillated leaf essential oil of Litsea kostermansiiwas analyzed to determine its composition and yield. Seventy-three compounds were identified, the main components being β-eudesmol (22.5%), γ-eudesmol (18.6%), δ-selinene (8.5%), α-eudesmol (6.0%), and γ-muurolene (4.7%). Oxygenated sesquiterpenes (66.2%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (32.8%) were the predominant groups of compounds. The leaf oil exhibited excellent antimicrobial activities.

The leaf essential oil of Litsea nakaiiwas isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed to determine its composition and yield. Fifty-five compounds were identified, the main components being α-humulene (15.5%), δ-cadinene (9.2%), (E)-β-ocimene (8.1%), and δ-selinene (7.1%). The leaf oil exhibited excellent antimicrobial activities.