The Essential Oils of <i>Rhaponticum carthamoides</i> Hairy Roots and Roots of Soil‐Grown Plants: Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial, Anti‐Inflammatory, and Antioxidant Activities

Abstract

The essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation from the hairy roots (HR) and roots of soil-grown plants (SGR) of <i>Rhaponticum carthamoides</i> and were analyzed by GC-MS method. In the both essential oils 62 compounds were identified. The root essential oils showed the differences in the qualitative and quantitative composition. The sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (55-62%) dominated in both essential oils. The major compounds of HR essential oil were cyperene, 13-norcypera-1(5),11(12)-diene, and cadalene while aplotaxene, nardosina-1(10),11-diene, and dauca-4(11),8-diene dominated in SGR essential oil. Both essential oils showed antibacterial activity especially against <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> (ATCC 29212) and <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (ATCC 27853) (MIC value = 125 <i>µ</i>g/mL). HR and SGR essential oils also decreased the expression of IL-1<i>β</i>, IL-6, and TNF-<i>α</i> and the ROS level in LPS-treatment astrocytes. This is the first report to describe the chemical composition of <i>R. carthamoides</i> essential oil from hairy roots, its protective effect against LPS-induced inflammation and ROS production in astrocytes, and its antimicrobial potential. The results show that <i>R. carthamoides</i> hairy roots may be a valuable source of the essential oil and may be an alternative to the roots of soil-grown plants.