Chemical composition and biological activity of Tanacetum audibertii (Req.) DC. (Asteraceae), an endemic species of Sardinia Island, Italy

The chemical composition and antifungal activity of volatile extracts of Tanaceutum audibertii (Req.) DC., an endemic species of Sardinia and Corsica islands, were investigated. The extract and the essential oil, obtained respectively by supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide (SFE) at pressures of 90 bar and temperature of 40 degrees C and by hydrodistillation (HD), were analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. Artemisia ketone, trans-linalyl oxide acetate and 1,8-cineole were the main components. The HD oil was evaluated against yeasts and dermatophyte strains, being more active against Cryptococtus neaformans, with MIC and MLC values of 0.64 mu L/mL. Moreover, the oil revealed an important inhibitory effect on germ tube formation in C albicans at sub-inhibitory concentrations. At the concentration of 1/16 MIC the inhibition of filamentation was more than 70% in comparison to untreated control cells. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.