Chemical composition and antifungal properties of essential oils of three Pistacia species

The chemical composition of essential oils obtained from the leaves of Pistacia vera, Pistacia terebinthus, Pistacia lentiscus and the resin of Pistacia lentiscus were analyzed by GC and GG-MS. alpha-Pinene, beta-pinene, limonene, terpinen-4-ol and alpha-terpineol were found to be the major components. The antifungal activities of the above oils and P lentiscus resin (total, acidic and neutral fractions) against the growth of three agricultural pathogens, Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium sambucinum were evaluated. Some doses of R terebinthus, P vera and P lentiscus leaf oils and total and neutral fraction of P lentiscus resin significantly inhibited the growth of R. solani. However, all samples did not show antifungal activity against P ultimum and E sambucinum, but increased the growth of F sambucinum. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.