Chemical analysis and biological activities of the essential oil of Teucrium leucocladum Boiss. (Lamiaceae)

The chemical composition of the water-distilled essential oil and n-hexane-ether extract of Teucrium leucocladum Boiss. were determined by GLC and GLC-MS. Altogether 72 compounds were identified. The sesquiterpene alcohols, patchouli alcohol (31.24% and 29.66%) and alpha-cadinol (9.29% and 21.54%) were the main components in the oil and the extract, respectively. alpha-Cadinol was isolated and characterized using MS, H-1- and C-13-NMR spectral analyses. Furthermore, the oil and the extract were tested for their bacterostatic and antifungal activities; they showed broad and potent activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans. A marked larvicidal activity of the essential oil, n-hexane-ether extract and crude ethanolic extract was also observed against Culex pipiens, Musca domestica and Ceratitis capitata larvae. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.