Gülmira Özek,* Temel Özek, Gökalp Is¸can, K. Hüsnü Can Bas¸er, Ergin Hamzaoglu and Ahmet Duran

Abstract: Water distilled essential oil of aerial parts of Tanacetum cadmeum (Boiss.) Heywood subsp. orientale Grierson (Asteraceae) was analyzed by GC and GC/MS methods. Ninety three compounds have been characterized representing 97.8% of the oil. 1,8-Cineole (18.9%), p-cymene (15.7%), terpinen-4-ol (14.8%), borneol (9.8%) and γ-terpinene (3.5%) were found to be the major constituents of the oil. Antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested via micro-dilution broth method. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida albicans were used as the test microorganisms.

The genus <i>Tanacetum</i> (Asteraceae) is represented by 44 species and 59 taxa in the Flora of Turkey (1). Representatives of this genus are known for their distinct medicinal (stomachic, cordial, migraine), antihistaminic, antiinflamatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant and insecticidal properties (2–12). Plant extracts and the essential oil of tansy (<i>Tanacetum vulgare </i>L.) have traditionally been used as a spicy additive for food and, in cosmetics (13,14). Important secondary metabolites such as sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, and polysaccharides have been reported for <i>Tanacetum</i> species (15–20). Several recent publications refer to constituents of some <i>Tanacetum</i> species growing in Turkey: <i>T. argenteum</i> (Lam). Willd., subsp. <i>canum</i> (C. Koch) <i>Grierson</i> var. <i>canum</i>, <i>T. armenum</i> (DC.) Schultz Bip., <i>T. balsamita</i> L., <i>T. chiliophyllum</i> (Fisch. et Mey.) Schultz Bip. var. <i>chiliophyllum, T. haradjani</i> (Rech. fil.) Grierson, <i>T. argyrophyllum</i> (C. Koch) Tvzel. var. <i>argyrophyllum, T. praeteritum</i> (Horwood) Heywood subsp. <i>praeteritum</i> and <i>T. praeteritum</i> (Horwood) Heywood subsp. <i>massicyticum Heywood, T. parthenium</i> (L.) Schultz Bip. (21–24). <i>Tanacetum cadmeum</i> is represented by two subspecies, both of them being endemic in the Flora of Turkey: <i>T. cadmeum</i> (Boiss.) Heywood subsp. <i>cadmeum</i> and <i>T. cadmeum</i> (Boiss.) Heywood subsp. <i>orientale Grierson</i> (1). A report exists on sesquiterpene lactones, coumarins and flavonoids of <i>T. cadmeum</i> subsp. <i>cadmeum</i> (16). <i>T. cadmeum</i> subsp. <i>orientale</i> has earlier been studied for sesquiterpene lactones (25). The present report deals with the composition and antimicrobial activity of the oil obtained from the aerial parts of <i>T. cadmeum</i> subsp. <i>orientale</i>.