Chemical Diversity and Biological Activity of the Volatiles of Five Artemisia Species from Far East Russia

Abstract

Artemisia argyi, A. feddei, A. gmelinii, A. manshurica, and A. olgensis (Asteraceae) were collected in Far East Russia. Oils were hydrodistilled and simultaneously analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Main constituents were found as follows in Artemisia oils: selin-11-en-4 alpha-ol (18.0%), 1,8-cineole (14.2.0%), artemisia alcohol (12.9%), borneol (9.7%) in A. argyi; camphor (31.2%), 1,8-cineole (17.6%), alpha-thujone (5.7%) in A. feddei; longiverbenone (12.0%), isopinocamphone (8.9%) 1,8-cineole (6.7%) camphor (5.8%), trans-p-menth-2-en-1-ol (5.3%) in A. gmelinii; germacrene D (11.2%), rosifoliol (10.1%), caryophyllene oxide (6.8%), eudesma-4(15), 7-dien-1 beta-ol (5.6%) in A. manshurica; eudesma-4(15), 7-dien-1b-ol (6.9%), caryophyllene oxide (5.6%), guaia-6,10(14)-dien-4 beta-ol (5.1%) and hexadecanoic acid (5.0%) in A. olgensis. Oils were subsequently submitted for antifungal and antimosquito evaluations. Artemisia species oils showed biting deterrent effects in Aedes aegypti and Artemisia gmelinii oil with the most active biting deterrence index values of 0.82 +/- 0.1 at 10 m g/mL. Larval bioassay of A. gmelinii and A. olgensis oils showed higher larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti larvae with LD50 values of 83.8 (72.6-95.7) ppm and 91.0 (73.8-114.5) ppm, respectively. Antifungal activity was evaluated against the strawberry anthracnose-causing fungal plant pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum, C. fragariae and C. gloeosporioides using direct overlay bioautography assay and all showed nonselective weak antifungal activity. Antioxidant evaluation of the oils was performed by using beta-carotene bleaching, Trolox equivalent and DPPH tests. The tested Artemisia oils demonstrated moderate antioxidant activity.