Wild Species <i>Veronica officinalis</i> L. and <i>Veronica saturejoides</i> Vis. ssp. <i>saturejoides</i>—Biological Potential of Free Volatiles

• Main Authors: Marija Nazlić, Željana Fredotović, Elma Vuko, Lea Fabijanić, Dario Kremer, Edith Stabentheiner, Mirko Ruščić, Valerija Dunkić
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
• Series: Horticulturae
• Subjects: antioxidant activity; antiphytoviral activity; antiproliferative activity; essential oil; free volatile compounds; GC-MS
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/9/295

Extracts from plants of the genus <i>Veronica</i> have been and continue to be used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases throughout the world. Although often considered a weed, many scientific reports demonstrate that these plants are a source of valuable biologically active compounds and their potential for horticulture should be investigated and considered. In this study, free volatile compounds of essential oils (EO) and hydrosols were extracted from two species: <i>Veronica officinalis,</i> which is most commonly used in traditional medicine, and <i>Veronica saturejoides</i>, an endemic plant that could be obtained by cultivation in horticulture. Volatiles were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC, GC-MS). The most abundant compounds identified in the EOs were hexadecanoic acid in <i>V. officinalis</i> EO and caryophyllene oxide in <i>V. saturejoides</i> EO. The hydrosols were characterized by a high abundance of caryophyllene oxide in <i>V. saturejoides</i> hydrosol and of <i>p</i>-vinyl guaiacol for <i>V. officinalis</i> hydrosol. The sites where the volatile compounds are synthesized and stored were analyzed using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy); glandular and non-glandular trichomes were detected on stems, leaves and the calyx. Further, to investigate the activity of the free volatile compounds against pathogens, isolated volatile compounds were tested on the antiphytoviral activity against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection. The hydrosols of both investigated species and EO of <i>V. officinalis</i> showed significant antiphytoviral activity. To further investigate the biological potential of these extracts they were also tested for their antiproliferative and antioxidant activities. The results indicate that these compounds are a valuable source of potential anticancerogenic agents that should be investigated in future studies. The presented results are the first report of hydrosol and EO activity against TMV infection, suggesting that these extracts from <i>Veronica</i> species may be useful as natural-based antiphytoviral agents.