Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil of Italian Prangos trifida (Mill.) Herrnst. & Heyn

In this work, the essential oil of the aerial parts of a not previously investigated accession of Prangos trifida (Mill.) Herrnst. & Heyn (Apiaceae), collected in Northern Italy, was analysed by GC/MS. Twenty-five compounds were identified, accounting for 91.30% of the total oil, which is characterised by a high content of monoterpene hydrocarbons (71.26%). The main constituents of the essential oil were cis-beta-ocimene (18.12%), alpha-phellandrene (12.14%), sylvestrene (11.32%), p-mentha-1,3,8-triene (9.56%) and alpha-pinene (8.85%). The essential oil of P. trifida showed a good antimicrobial activity directed above all against Gram-positive bacteria, and had an interesting antioxidant activity, thus making it an excellent candidate for future cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the essential oil composition and medicinal activities of Prangos trifida from Northern Italy. The essential oil was found to be rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons and exhibited significant antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, which makes it a promising candidate for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.