article · Plants
This study evaluates the chemical profile and biological activities of essential oils extracted from the aerial parts of Pelargonium graveolens across three developmental stages: vegetative, beginning of flowering, and full flowering. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the major volatile constituents were identified as menthol, menthene, eremophilene, isoborneol, isogeraniol, alpha-pinene, linalyl acetate, and 3-carene, with quantitative variations observed across stages. In vitro assessments revealed that essential oil harvested at the full flowering stage displayed the highest biological efficacy. It achieved the strongest antioxidant activity, exhibited marked inhibitory effects against alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, lipase, 5-lipoxygenase, and tyrosinase enzymes, and demonstrated the greatest antibacterial action against six tested bacterial strains. The findings indicate that the full flowering phase represents the optimal harvest timing to maximise bioactive properties for potential food and pharmaceutical uses.
Identifying the precise plant growth stage for harvest ensures consistent potency for therapeutic and nutritional uses. By demonstrating that Pelargonium graveolens reaches its peak antioxidant, antibacterial, and enzyme-inhibiting strength at full flowering, this work helps agricultural producers and extract processors identify the ideal harvesting window to deliver higher-quality raw botanical ingredients.
This research could inform raw material sourcing for manufacturers in the functional food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors seeking natural preservatives, dermaprotective ingredients, or antidiabetic agents. Because the evidence is derived entirely from early-stage, in vitro laboratory assays, considerable further work, including formulation development, safety profiling, and clinical testing, is necessary before these extracts can be integrated into commercial products.
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The aim of this work was the determination of Pelargonium graveolens (aerial parts) volatile compounds at three developmental stages and the evaluation of their antioxidant, antidiabetic, dermaprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. The aerial parts of Pelargonium graveolens were collected at three stages, namely the vegetative, beginning, and full flowering. Pelargonium graveolens essential oils were extracted from the dried materials of these aerial parts by hydrodistillation. The volatiles were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry GC-MS, and the antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH, ABTS, H2O2, and FRAP assays. The in vitro antidiabetic effect was evaluated by the inhibition of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase enzymes, while the antibacterial activity was assessed against six bacterial strains using an agar well diffusion assay and a microdilution method. The main constituents were menthol, menthene, eremophilene, isoborneol, isogeraniol, α-pinene, linalyl acetate, and 3-carene, with quantitative differences at the three phenological stages. The essential oil at the full flowering stage showed the best antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 83.26 ± 0.01, 116.42 ± 0.07, 132.25 ± 0.11, and 48.67 ± 0.04 μg/mL for DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, and H2O2 assays, respectively. This oil also exhibited significant effects against α-amylase (IC50 = 43.33 ± 0.01 μg/mL), α-glucosidase (IC50 = 19.04 ± 0.01 μg/mL), lipase (IC50 = 24.33 ± 0.05 μg/mL), 5-lipoxygenase (IC50 = 39.31 ± 0.01 μg/mL), and tyrosinase (IC50 = 124.49 ± 0.07 μg/mL). The essential oil extracted at the full flowering stage showed the best antibacterial effect against a panel of microorganisms with diameter inhibition zones ranging between 11.00 ± 0.17 mm and 17.30 ± 0.17 mm and MIC values from 0.25% to 2% v/v. Overall, the results presented here suggest that the full flowering stage is the best optimal harvest time of Pelargonium graveolens for food and pharmaceutical applications.
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DOI: 10.3390/plants11172226
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