Essential oil from Senecio rudbeckiifolius Meyen & Walp.: Chemical analysis, antioxidant assessment, and literature review of Senecio essential oils

Species of the genus Senecio have the largest medicinal value for the Andes communities, and studies on the biological activities attributed to them are scarce. Among them, Senecio rudbeckiifolius Meyen & Walp. is used in decoction for rheumatic affection and skin allergies. The chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the leaf essential oil from plants grown in the Peruvian Andes were studied. Eighty compounds were identified in the essential oil. Monoterpene hydrocarbons had the major percentage (91.4%), followed by oxygenated monoterpenes (4.2%). The most abundant compounds were myrcene (23.4%), b-phellandrene (17.1%), sabinene (15.1%) and limonene (11.7%). In addition, the possible applicability of volatile metabolites for revealing taxonomic/evolutionary relationships among Senecio species was explored. Antioxidant activity were examined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays. The essential oil had a moderate scavenging effect and it showed ferric reducing activity.