Abstract

The hexane extracts of flower and root of Althaea officinalis which were collected from northwestern Iran (Khalkhal) were obtained by Soxhlet apparatus. The fatty acids were derived from methyl esters and determined by gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) and gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) systems. The hexane extract from the flower and root contained omega-3 (20.5 and 14.9%, respectively). The other main compounds of the flower extract were palmitic acid (13.0%), heptacosane (9.3%) and nonacosane (11.2%). In the root extract, palmitic acid (16.8%), linoleic acid (omega-6) (28.0%) and naphthalene decahydro 2, 6- dimethyl (16.4%) were the main components. The antimicrobial activity of the hexane extracts of those samples were determined against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus andStaphylococcus epidermidis), as well as three fungi (Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans andSaccharomyces cerevisiae). The bioassay showed that the both extracts exhibited good antimicrobial activity. This study reveals that all the parts of this plant are attractive sources of fatty acid components.

Key word: Althaea officinalis, Malvaceae, fatty acid, omega-3, omega-6, palmitic acid, antimicrobial activity.

Abbreviation

GC/FID, chromatography/flame ionization detector; GC/MS, gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry; IOOC, International Olive Oil Council; DDM, disc diffusion method; PUFAs, polyunsaturated fatty acids; ALA or ω-3, α-linolenic acid; LA,linoleic acid; EFAs, essential fatty acids; UFA, unsaturated fatty acid; SFA, saturated fatty acid.