Chemical characterization and biological activity of essential oils from the aerial part and root of Ferula haussknechtii

Ferula genus belongs to Umbelliferae family. Plants with this kind of genus are distributed in an extended region such as central Asia and Mediterranean area. Ferula species are used in traditional medicine as a remedy in different kinds of illnesses and also in different kinds of industries. The Ferula haussknechtii H. Wolff ex Rech. f. is one of the flora species in Iran which in this research the essential oil of its aerial parts and root was extracted by Clevenger apparatus. After that, theirs compounds were recognized using gas chromatography methods (GC-MS and GC-FID) and their amount was determined. Antibacterial activity of essential oils was examined, and phytochemical screening on the plant's extracts was done too. GC-MS/FID method identified 62 compounds in root and 64 compounds in aerial parts of this plant which were 94.6 and 92.8 percent of their respective whole essential oil. Camphene, apinene, and isoverbanol had the most percent in both essential oils. Antibacterial tests on root and aerial parts of plant essential oils on 4 g-negative and 5 g-positive bacteria were done. Results concluded that essential oils were effective on the Bacillus pumilus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Staphylococcus aureus (17-18mm, 7.5 mg/mL); therefore, this plant can be useful in medicine and food industry as an antibacterial agent.