Investigation of the chemical composition of volatile exometabolites of decorative plants exhibiting antimicrobial activity
T. D. FERSHALOVA1, N. V. TSYBULYA1, G. G. DULTSEVA2
1Central Siberian Botanical Garden, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
2V. V. Voevodsky Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
Keywords: volatile exometabolites, tropical and subtropical plants, antimicrobial activity, liquid chromatography, aldehydes, unsaturated hydrocarbons
Abstract
The chemical composition of volatile organic compounds emitted by tropical and subtropical plants representing four families Begoniaceae, Liliaceae, Myrtаceae, Moraceae used in indoor landscaping are investigated. Seven species and one interspecific hybrid are studied. The sampling procedure has been developed to provide concentrating the organic substances from air onto a specially treated sorbent placed in sampling tubes. The composition of volatile organic compounds was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The compounds were identified using the spectrophotometric mode and witness method. The compounds detected in the volatile emissions of plants included carbonyls (aldehydes and ketones), carboxylic acids, as well as normal and branched hydrocarbons. The composition of emitted compounds and their ratios were determined to depend on the phases of plant development. The data on the composition of volatile organics were compared with the data on the seasonal variations of antibacterial and antifungal activity of these plants against test microorganisms Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans. Among exometabolites, the compounds that can enhance the phytoncide action have been detected. Thus, an increase in the activity of gaseous emissions of plants against E. coli was determined to be accompanied by the appearance or a sharp increase in the concentration of furfural derivatives, in particular 5-methylfurfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, while an increase in the activity against C. albicans coincided with the appearance of o-methoxybenzaldehyde in volatile exometabolites. The possibility to use the studied species of decorative plants to improve the indoor air quality was assessed.
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