Investigation on essential oil of different species of Pimpinella in Iran's habitats at and their uses

Pimpinella genus belongs to the Lamiaceae family and contains 150 species distributed in Europe, Asia and Africa. Six of the 22 species in Iran are native. Pimpinella species are used as food digestion, antiparasitic and antifungal, antimicrobial, anti-flatulence, analgesic, anti-epileptic and anticonvulsant, anti-indigestion, expectorant, appetite suppressant, diaphoretic and healing. Pimpinella essential oils were very different in different species and plant parts. Essential oils yield fluctuated from 0.04 in the stems plus the leaves of P. affinis to 7.5% in the seeds of P. deverroides. Limonene (80%) and trans-a- bergamotene (90%) chemotypes were found in the P. affinis essential oil. The main compounds were (E)-anethole (90%) in P. anisum essential oil, b-bisabolene (50%, with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties) in P. aurea essential oil, limonene (63%) in P. barbata essential oil, and limonene (82%), and pregeijerene (67%) in P. puberula and P. deverroides essential oil. Pregeijerene (59%), limonene (17.6%), elemicine (12.5%) were recognized in P. eriocarpa essential oil. b-caryophyllene (40%) and Germacrene D (29%) were identified in P. kotschyana essential oil and Germacrene D (36%) was in P. olivieroides essential oil. In P. khorasanica essential oil, E-β-farnesene (54%) and in P. khayami essential oil, pregeijerene (32%) were found. Trans-a- bergamotene (77%) and pregeijerene (87%) were found in P. tragioides essential oil. In different organs of P. tragium, Germacrene D (34%), Germacrene B (18%), b-pinene (23%) and sabinene (12.3%) were found. Antibacterial effects of some Pimpinella species, including P. kotschyana, P. puberula, P. khorasanica, and P. khayami, against positive and negative gram bacteria were approved.  Some of the chemical compounds in the Pimpinella essential oils of plant parts, such as (E)-anethole, b-bisabolene, trans-a- bergamotene, and elemicine, are widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.