Chemical and Antimicrobial Studies of Juniperus sabina L. and Juniperus foetidissima Willd. Essential Oils

The extracted essential oils from Juniperus sabina berries and branch lets of male and female as well as the leaves of male, female and fruits of Juniperus foetidissima growing in Iran, were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and screened for bacteriostatic and fungistatic activities. The defatted ethanol extract of fruits and leaves of both plants were examined for the presence of alkaloids. flavonoids, saponins and tannins. Although the fruits and leaves of male and female plants of J. sabina and J. foetidissima were quite rich in the amounts of flavonoides (except for the fruits J. sabina), they were generally poor in the amounts of alkaloids, tannins and saponins. Thirty compounds (representing 95.7 % of the total oil) in the oil of the fruits of J. sabina, as well as 34 and 32 compounds (representing 97.2 and 96.3 % of the essential oils compounds respectively) in the oils of leaves of male and female of the plant were identified respectively. Analysis of the essential oils of the leaves of male and female trees and fruits of J. foetidissima leads to identify 39, 39 and 36 compounds (representing 95.7, 98.6 and 97.5 % of the total essential oils compounds respectively) in the oils respectively. Although there are differences in the oils yields and various compounds in the essential oils of fruits and leaves of male and female plants of both J. sabina and J. foetidissima, comparison of the GC-MS analysis of these oils showed a similarity between the components of the oils obtained from different parts of the each plants. The major components of the essential oils of fruits and leaves of male and female plant of J. sabina evaluated in this study were sabinene (48.6, 21.5 and 24.3 %), alpha-pinene, (8.1, 14.7 and 6.2 %) and myrcene (10.8, 6.8 and 7.6%) respectively. Sabinene (37.1, 19.9 and 16.8%), alpha-pinene, (29.9, 22.2 and 18.6 %) and limonene (11.8, 20.9 and 13.6 %) were the main compounds of the oil of the fruits and leaves of male and female trees of J. foetidissima essential oils respectively. Comparison of the MIC values shows that all the tested essential oils have weak antimicrobial activity against the tested strains (Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Staphylococcus aureus,) except for the fruits of J. foetidissima which has not any antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeroginosa(>50 mg/mL). However the leaves and fruits of J. sabina also did not show any antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeroginosa (>100 mg/mL). The MIC values of J. foetidissima leaves (male and female) against microorganisms ranged from 3.125 to 6.25 mg/mL, except for S. aureus which was 25 mg/mL. The MIC values of J. sabina against B. subtilis, C. albicans, S. aureus (fruits) and E. coli (leaves) was 3.125 and against S. aureus (leaves) 6.25 mg/mL.