Avicenna Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Background: Peucedanum chenur Mozaff has been used by local people as a spice and for the treatment of urinary infections. The chemical constituent and biological activities of the essential oil (EO) and the extract of P. chenur Mozaff were evaluated in this study.

Methods: The EO components were qualitatively and quantitatively identified by gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography/flame ionization detector. The phytochemical analyses, total flavonoids, and phenolic contents of the extract were determined, and then the phenolic compounds of the extract were quantified by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Results: Based on the results, 36 compounds were identified in the volatile oil, accounting for 94.7% of the total oil. The major components were α-pinene, limonene, γ-terpinene, β-pinene, and sabinene. The EO exhibited significant antibacterial activity on Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, whereas it exerted no effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antioxidant activity of the volatile oil had a half maximal inhibitory concentration value of 122±2.1 (μg/mL). Rutin, caffeic acid, naringenin, apigenin, and quercetin (183.6, 132.8, 38.4, 13.1, and 3.5 mg/100 g of the plant, respectively) were quantified in the methanolic extract.

Conclusion: The various bioactive compounds and the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of P. chenur Mozaff confirmed the potential of this plant for use in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.