Chemical composition, antiradical and phytotoxic activity of the essential oil from Peucedanum ostruthium W.D.J.Koch leaves

Peucedanum ostruthium W.D.J.Koch, commonly known as masterwort, is a flowering perennial species in the Apiaceae family with known medicinal and aromatic properties. This study was designed to chemically characterize the essential oil (EO) obtained from the leaves and investigate some aspects of its bioactivity. Thirty-two compounds were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and sesquiterpenoids identified as the dominating group of compounds. The major ones were caryophyllene oxide (20.7%) and spathulenol (17.2%), followed by cubenol (8.7%), δ-cadinene (6.1%) and humulene epoxide II (5.6%). EO was evaluated in vitro by ABTS⋅+ (2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethyl- benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and DPPH⋅ (2,2-diphenyl-picryl hydrazyl) assays, showing a marked scavenging ability, in particular towards the ABTS⋅+ radical cation (2.02 ± 0.00 μM Trolox eq/mL). EO was also screened for phytotoxic activity against mono- and dicotyledonous weeds. It exhibited significant effects by reducing the growth of Lolium multiflorum Lam. and Sinapis alba L. seedlings up to 90.7% and 76.6%, respectively.