Biological activities of Eremostachys laevigata Bunge. grown in Iran.

Essential oil from flowers, stems, and roots of Eremostachys laevigata Bunge. gathered in Iran was analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS), and 23, 21, and 9 compounds were identified, respectively. The primary components of all three oils were found to be 1,8-cineole, benzaldehyde, and piperitenone oxide: 18.3%, 18.7%, and 2.5%; 17.9%, 7.7%, and 63.3%; and 15.7%, 21.3%, and 1.2%, respectively. The oils derived from flowers and stems also contained cis-piperitone oxide as a major component (10.1% and 12.2%, respectively). E. laevigata oil showed antibacterial activity, particularly towards Gram-positive bacteria; additionally antioxidant activity was induced with IC(50) of flowers, stems and roots of E. laevigata (277.1, 495.0, and 212.6 μg/ml), respectively. Furthermore, under β-carotene-linoleic acid test assay the flower, stem, and root oils of E. laevigata had a high antibacterial effect.