Essential Oil Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Oil and Extracts of Bunium persicum (Boiss.) B. Fedtsch.: Wild and Cultivated Fruits

Medicinal plants cultivation, provides required resources and makes avoidance of wild resources depletion, furthermore it may control the growing condition, harvesting at the right time, and reducing the possibility of adulteration.1 There are several studies on the chemotype development in various plants' cultivars and differences in essential oils composition and biological activities between the cultivated and wild ones.2-7 The research implemented by Chatzopoulou et al., has shown the same major components in both wild and cultivated Hypericum perforatum L., however there was significant difference in the amount of main components.4 Bunium persicum (Boiss.) B. Fedtsch (Apiaceae) is a perennial herb, native to Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.8 The small odorant fruits of B. persicum ("Zireh siah" or "Wild Caraway") are traditionally used as antiseptic, carminative and condiment.9 Unfortunately, due to climate changes and indiscriminate harvesting of the whole plant instead of collecting fruits, this invaluable species has become an endangered species.10 Several studies have previously determined essential oil composition of B. persicum and commonly reported y-terpinene, cuminaldéhyde and p-cymene as major compounds.11-14 Moreover, the oil has demonstrated strong antibacterial activity against some gram positive and gram negative bacteria and also considerable insecticide effects.14,15 Another research has investigated the essential oil composition of wild and cultivated B. persicum from India and shown some similarities and differences in oils, mainly the higher level of cuminaldehyde in cultivated fruits.6 In a study exploring antioxidant components of the fruits, kaempferol, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid were introduced as active ingredients from extract.16 Also, antimicrobial properties of these three compounds against some bacterial and fungal strains have been shown in some studies.17-20 In recent years, B. persicum is cultivated in limited areas in Iran especially in Khorasan Razavi province. According to our results, the wild grown essential oil showed higher inhibitory activity on microorganisms, while only a slight difference was determined in essential oil major compounds such as the level of p-cymene and y-terpinene.