Hydrodistillation kinetic and biological investigations of essential oils from the Tunisiam Crithmum maritimum L.

This work describes the study of the chemical composition and bioactivity of the essential oils of Crithmum maritimum and the location of dillapiole one of their major and bioactive constituents. This compound was detected at increasing percentages in all the collected fractions during the extraction process. The highest percentage of dillapiole was obtained in the last fraction (F9) with 100% in the roots. The essentials oils of roots and aerial parts and F9 were assayed for their antiradical and enzymatic antioxidant properties (Catalase and Paraoxonase), the results showed that F9 and the roots essential oil improve the activity of Catalase and Paraoxonase, respectively. The isolated oils and F9 were tested against five bacteria and four candida species. The oil roots exhibited significant activity towards Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. Dillapiole was found to be the strongest anticandidal. The cytotoxic activity of essential oils and F9 was evaluated against Hela and A549 cancer cell lines. F9 exhibited the best cytotoxic effect against Hela cell line. These results may suggest that C. maritimum essential oils can be used as a good source of dillapiole which could be used as a natural preservative ingredient in food and/or for pharmaceutical preparations.