Determination of essential oil composition, antimicrobial and antifungal properties of Papaver somniferum L. flowers

It is known that opium poppy has been grown since ancient times in both our country any many parts of the world. Some words similar to opium poppy were found in the language used by Sumerians lived in Mesopotamia 5000 years before Christ and some relief paintings of opium poppy belong to Assyrian were found. It is also known that opium poppy has been known in Europa and used in agriculture since 4000 BC. It is reported by lots of authorities that cultivation of opium poppy has been made in Anatolia since Hittites. Opium poppy, which is followed from sowing to selling in the whole world, is an important industrial plant in our country since it is used in the food industry because of its %50 oil content and for medicinal and scientific purposes since it includes morphine and the other alkaloids. The use of high quality perfumes and cosmetic products in our country and the whole word is becoming widespread. The importance of these aromatic plants in all over the world is parallel with this increase. Our country has also a rich flora of these aromatic plants. However, a lot of kinds of aromatic plants have not been searched about their essential oil content. Poppy flower is a kind of these plants which have not been searched yet about its essential oil content and optimum production conditions. Lots of aromatic plants have been used in industry and by people because of their perfume and therapeutic properties. In this study volatile oils components, that were obtained from the poppy flower (Papaver somniferum L.) by hydrodistilled method, will be searched by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. Also to characterize the essential oil, the determination of density and index of refraction were examined. Also in order to examine the biological activity of the essential oil obtained from the flower antibacterial properties were determined by Disc Diffusion Method and Broth Microdilution, antifungal properties were determined by the Agar Diffusion Plate Metod. Obtained according to the results, antimicrobial property has been found in poppy flower volatile oil.