Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the volatile fraction extracted from air-dried fruits of Tunisian Eryngium maritimum L. ecotypes

BACKGROUND: Eryngium maritimum L., also known as ‘sea holly’, is a typical dune plant species belonging to the Apiaceae family and commonly used in Tunisia for therapeutic purposes in folk medicine. In the present study, the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the volatile fraction extracted from air-dried fruits of five Tunisian E. maritimum ecotypes were determined. RESULTS: The total volatile amount ranged from 0.31% to 0.93% (w d.w.−1). Sixty-six volatile components were identified by means of GC–MS and accounted for 77.05–86.65% of the total extracted volatile oil. The majority of the identified metabolites were hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, amounting on average to 46.69% and 30.01% of total volatiles, respectively. The principal individual components were germacrene D (13.62–31.71%), 15-hydroxy-α-muurolene (12.04–18.58%), and germacrene B (6.77–15.04%). Significant differences were noticed among E. maritimum populations. The volatile profile of E. maritimum fruits was consistently different from those of the aerial parts and roots of plants of the same species reported in previous investigations. Average radical scavenging capacity of the volatile fraction, as determined by DPPH and ABTS tests, was twice higher than that of the Trolox control. CONCLUSION: This study characterised for the first time the fruits of E. maritimum for the composition and radical-scavenging capacity of their volatile fraction. The growth location confirmed as a pivotal factor in influencing the volatile profile of the fruits. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.