Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Heracleum verticillatum Pančić and H. ternatum Velen. (Apiaceae) Essential Oils

In this work, the chemical composition, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of Heracleum verticillatum Pančić and H. ternatum Velen. root, leaf, and fruit essential oils were investigated. The composition was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Heracleum verticillatum and H. ternatum root oils were dominated by monoterpenes, mostly β-pinene (23.5% and 47.3%, respectively). Heracleum verticillatum leaf oil was characterized by monoterpenes, mainly limonene (20.3%), and sesquiterpenes, mostly (E)-caryophyllene (19.1%), while H. ternatum leaf oil by the high percentage of phenylpropanoids, with (Z)-isoelemicin (35.1%) being dominant constituent. Both fruit oils contained the majority of aliphatic esters, mostly octyl acetate (42.3% in H. verticillatum oil and 49.0% in H. ternatum oil). The antimicrobial activity of the oils was determined by microdilution method against eight bacterial and eight fungal strains. The strongest effect was exhibited by H. verticillatum root oil, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium (MICs = 0.14 mg/ml, MBCs = 0.28 mg/ml), and Trichoderma viride (MIC = 0.05 mg/ml, MFC = 0.11 mg/ml). Cytotoxic effect was determined by MTT test against malignant HeLa, LS174, and A549 cells (IC50 = 5.9 - 146.0 μg/ml), and against normal MRC-5 cells (IC50 > 120.1 μg/ml). The best effect was exhibited by H. verticillatum root oil on A549 cells (IC50 = 5.9 μg/ml), and H. ternatum root oil against LS174 cells (IC50 = 6.7 μg/ml).