Phytochemical Investigation and Biological Activity of C. vlachorum

The aim of the study is to isolate and elucidate the structure of secondary metabolites from Centaurea vlachorum Hartvig (Asteraceae) leaves and seeds and also to investigate their biological activities. Numerous reports have dealt with secondary metabolites of this genus, with sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) being the most characteristic constituents. Moreover, species of this genus contain other classes of secondary metabolites like flavonoids, alkaloids, lignans, terpenes, fatty acids, etc. After an extensive literature research on Centaurea vlachorum, to the best of our knowledge this species had not been studied previously. The chemical composition of the volatile oils of the leaves, stems and flowers of C. vlachorum and of nine populations from six species from Albania, namely Artemisia absinthium, Calamintha nepeta, Hypericum perforatum, Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum, Sideritis raeseri subsp. raeseri from two wild populations and finally of sage (Salvia officinalis) from two wild and one cultivated population, have been analysed by Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).