Phytochemical Characterization of the Species Thuja columnaris Short Communications

The essential oils from leaves, twigs and stems of large trees and shrub-like trees of Thuja columnaris were extracted by hydrodistillation and supercritical fluid extraction, analyzed by chromatographic methods [1].

The essential oil composition differed significantly among the three organs, as well as between large trees and shrub-like trees [2]. Furthermore, many differences in the essential oil composition between Thuja columnaris and other Thuja species were apparent [3]. The essential oils exhibited a certain degree of antifungal activity against strains of human pathogenic fungi [4]. Chemical composition and pharmacological activity: The main compounds of the oil were the monoterpene ketones α- and β-thujone, fenchone, and sabinene, as well as the diterpenes beyerene and rimuene [5]. The neurotoxic thujones (α- and β-diastereoisomers) are common compounds of Thuja columnaris plant essential oils. Thuja columnaris has many pharmacological properties but has no anti-inflammatory activity, and contents 54.78-11.28% alpha-pinene (C₁₀H₁₆) and (+)-4-carene (C₁₀H₁₆), 6.87% alphacedrol (C₁₅H₂O), 5.88% terpinolene (C₁₀H₁₆), 5.21% p-menth-1-en-8-ol acetate (C₁₂H₂₀O₂), 4.04% beta-myrcene (C₁₀H₁₆), 2.26% beta-pinene (C₁₀H₁₆), 1.72% germacrene D (C₁₅H₂₄), 1.65% sabinene (C₁₀H₁₆) and 1.62% D-Limonene (C₁₀H₁₆) [6].

The fruit oil contained 52.4% alpha-pinene (C₁₀H₁₆), 14.2% delta-3-carene (C₁₀H₁₆), 6.5% alpha-cedrol (C₁₅H₂O) and 5.1% beta-phellandrene (C₁₀H₁₆), the leaf oil contained 21.9% alpha-pinene (C₁₀H₁₆), 20.3% alpha-cedrol (C₁₀H₁₆), 10.5% delta-3-carene (C₁₀H₁₆) and 7.2 % limonen (C₁₀H₁₆) as the main components [7]. The leaf oil contained 29.2% alpha-pinene (C₁₀H₁₆), 20.1% Delta-3-carene (C₁₀H₁₆), 9.8 % alpha-cedrol (C₁₅H₂O), 7.5% caryophyllene (C₁₅H₂₄), 5.6% alpha-humulene (C₁₅H₂₄), 5.4% limonene (C₁₀H₁₆), 3.8% alpha-terpinolene (C₁₀H₁₆) and 3.5% alpha-terpinyl acetate (C₁₂H₂₀O₂) as major compounds [8]. A phytochemical investigation on the essential oil of Thuja columnaris resulted in the isolation and identification of three sesquiterpenes, 3α-methoxy-4α-epoxythujopsane, Δ³⁵-4β-epoxythujopsene, and Δ³⁴- thujopsen-2,15-diol, together with eight known sesquiterpenoids. The compounds, beyerene and the mixture of alpha-thujone and beta-thujone, were isolated from the oils and tested against Gram-positive and negative bacteria and pathogenic fungi. The oils of the Thuja columnaris species exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, while the mixture of alpha- and beta-thujone showed very strong activity as well [9].

T. columnaris essential oil and its active component, α-thujone, can be used for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome without inducing osteoporosis. Nowadays the wide use of these compounds in certain unconventional medicines make this severe complication again possible.

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