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Several technologies have been developed to control Aedes aegypti, mainly studies on isolated plant molecules. The Schinus terebinthifolius (Raddi) (Anacardiaceae), popularly known as pink pepper is a plant widely used in reforestation of degraded areas and its fruits are used as condiments. The objective of this work was to investigate the potential of essential oils (EOs) and fractions (FRs) obtained from fresh fruits and leaves of S. terebinthifolius. The EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation (2 hours), fractionated on a chromatographic column using as the stationary phase silica gel 60 (0.063-0.2mm), mobile phases: n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol and chemically evaluated by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer (GC/MS). EOs and FRs were tested against larvae of the third stage and pupae of Ae. aegypti by Immersion Test at concentrations ranging from 500.00 to 0.003 mg mL-1 (v/v). The hexane FRs obtained from fruits and leaves were the ones that showed the greatest activity on the larvae (LC99.9= 0.60 mg mL-1 and LC99.9 0.64 mg mL-1, respectively) and pupae (LC99,9 = 2.51 mg mL-1 and 2.61 mg mL-1, respectively). These results were confirmed by the anticholinesterase activity where the hexane (fruit and leaf) FRs presented the highest inhibitory potential on the acetylcholinesterase enzyme (0.156 mg mL-1 and 0.312 mg mL-1, respectively), suggesting the likely mechanism of action. The larvicidal potential can be explained by the presence of the major compounds bicyclogermacrene and germacrene D in the hexane FRs, indicating in this way that they may replace or even act in synergisms with conventional chemical larvicides. In this way the present study opens the field for new researches, aiming the development of products with the compounds bicyclogermacrene and germacrene D, as an alternative in the control of this culicide.

The chemical composition of the essential oils of aerial parts and flowers of Chromolaena odorata (L.) R. M. King & H. Rob., collected from Western Ghats region, were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Fifty two and thirty four compounds were identified from aerial parts and flowers, representing 94.9% and 95.2% of the total oils, respectively. The essential oil from aerial parts was dominated by pregeijerene (14.2%), epicubebol (9.8%), cubebol (8.6%), cis-sabinene hydrate (5.7%), 10-epi-γ-eudesmol (3.8%), germacrene-D-4-ol (3.6%) and δ-cadinene (3.5%), while germacrene D (24.8%), geijerene (12.6%), pregeijerene (12.5%), cyperene (7.8%), 10-epi-γ-eudesmol (4.7%), α-muurolol (3.6%) and khusimone (3.4%) were identified as the major constituents of flowers oil of C. odorata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition of the hydrodistilled oil of Doronicum austriacum Jacq. subsp. giganteum (Griseb.) Stoj. et Stef. (Compositae) obtained in 0.08% w/w yield was determined by CC and GC/MS resulting in the identification of 154 components, accounting for 97.9% of the total oil. The major constituents were germacrene D (50.8%), β- caryophyllene (9.1%), α-humulene (5.5%) and (Z,E)-α-farnesene (5.2%). Terpenoids (93.6%) constituted the main fraction of the oil with sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (81.6%) as the most abundant compound class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volatiles of Achillea millefolium L., cultivated in Iran, were obtained by hydrodistillation and supercritical (carbon dioxide) extraction methods. The volatiles were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography using flame ionization and mass spectrometric detections. The effects of different parameters, such as pressure, temperature, modifier volume and extraction time, on the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of A. millefoliurn volatiles were investigated. The results showed that, under a pressure of 300 atm, temperature 35°C, 5% methanol and dynamic extraction time of 20 min, extraction was more selective for germacrene D. Fifty compounds were identified in the hydrodistilled oil. The major volatile components of A. millefollium were 1,8-cineole (15.2%) and germacrene D (14.1%). However, by using supercritical carbon dioxide under optimum conditions, only two components constituted more than (60%) of the volatile concentrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distillation of the fresh flowering tops of Heteropappus altaicus Willd. (Novopokr.) collected from four different altitudes of Altai Region of Siberia yielded mobile, dark green to yellowish oils, depending on the altitude and location of collection. GC and GC/MS analyses of the oils revealed 42 components, of which 65-91% were monoterpenoids and 7-31% were sesquiterpenoid. The oil obtained from 330 m had α-pinene (18.6%), myrcene (18.6%), β-phellandrene (17.2%), (E)-α-ocimene (12.9%) and germacrene D (11.9%), while samples from 600 m consisted of myrcene (26.4%), α-pinene (23.2%), β-phellandrene (18.0%), (E)-α-ocimene (9.9%), germacrene D (4.3%) and sabinene (4.2%). The oil from 120 m had α-pinene (22.0%), β-phellandrene (21.6%), myrcene (19.5%), trans-β-ocimene (11.3%), germacrene D (7.2%) and limonene (4.5%) as major components. At 1550 m the major components were germacrene D (22.0%), myrcene (18.0%), β-phellandrene (14.0%), α-pinene (11.3%) and (E)-β-ocimene (9.2%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil from inflorescences of Hypericum perforatum var. angustifolium growing wild and harvested in Sardinia (Italy) was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The major compounds in the oil were 2-methyloctane (21.1%), germacrene D (17.6%) and α-pinene (15.8%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oil isolated by hydrodistillation from leaves of Casearia decandra Jacq. was analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS. Forty-six compounds, representing 92.3% of the total oil, were identified. The oil contained mainly sesquiterpenes (89.2%) with the diterpene thunbergol as a minor constituent (3.1%). The major components were β-caiyophyllene (13.0 %) and germacrene D (11.2%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oil of Lippia substrigosa Turcz. was analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Lippia substrigosa Turcz. is a native plant from Central America and south of Mexico. A yield of 0.3% (w/w) was obtained by hydrodistillation of the dried aerial parts of the plant. The essential oil showed a high content of sesquiterpenoids, with germacrene D (29.5%), β-caiyophyllene (15.4%) and caryophyllene oxide (6.9%), and the monoterpene sabinene (11.1%) as the main components. The compounds identified amount to 86.6% of the total essential oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial flowering parts of Fuernrohria setifolia C. Koch was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Twenty-eight compounds were identified corresponding to 97.6% of the total oil. Monoterpene hydrocarbons (69.1%) constituted the principal fraction of the oil with limonene (68.5%) as the major component. Other main compounds were carvone (10.2%) and germacrene D (10.9%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of Acinos hungaricus oil isolated by water distillation of flowering herb was performed using GC and GC/MS. Forty-one constituents were identified, representing 88.8% of total oil with germacrene D (46.7%) as the most prominent constituent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]