Investigation of Tanacetum haussknechtii (Bornm.) Grierson essential oil for chemical composition, enantiomers and biological activity

Chemical composition, enantiomeric distrubition and biological activity of Turkey's endemic plant Tanacetum haussknechtii (Bornm.) Grierson was done. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation of different parts of the plant and analyzed by GC/MS and GC-FID techniques. Borneol (%17.2, %20.5) and a-pinene (%14.5, %12.3) were found to be the main compounds of the leaf-stem and the flower oils, geranyl isovalerate (%41.6) was detected as main constituent of the root oil. Enantiomeric ratios of a-pinene, b-pinene, sabinene, terpinen-4-ol, borneol, limonene, trans- pinocarveol was determined by using chiral columns. Fatty acids were obtained with Folsch method from the plant aerial parts and investigated by gas chromatographic techniques. Palmitic (%25.5), linoleic (%17.6) and linolenic acids were found as the main fatty acids. The methanol, ethyl acetate and water extracts were obtained from different parts of the plant by maceration and the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were evaluated spectrophotometrically. The essential oils and extracts were evaluated for antioxidant activity using free radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition tests. The efects of essential oils and extracts on AChE enzyme were investigated by using TLC-autography and Ellman's methods. The methanolic extracts and the extract obtained with ethyl acetate from flowers demonstrated moderate antioxidant activity on tests. Essential oils didn't show any significant activity. In AChE enzyme assays the flower oil showed moderate neuroprotective properties, however the extracts were inactive. Keywords: Tanacetum haussknechtii, essential oil, enantiomer, extract, activity, GC/MS.