Comparative study of different essential oils of Bupleurum gibraltaricum Lamarck

A comparative study was performed of the essential oil extracted from the fruiting apex of Bupleurum gibraltaricum Lamarck (Umbelliferae) collected in different areas within the province of Granada, including the Cázulas mountains, the Balcón de Canales and the Quéntar Reservoir. All three essential oils were very similar in chemical composition, consisting mainly of monoterpenic hydrocarbons (delta 3-carene and alpha-pinene). When anti-inflammatory activity against both acute (carrageenin-induced plantar edema) and subchronic inflammation (granuloma technique) was assayed, quantitative differences came to light: the essential oil of the Cázulas Mountains population was most active against acute inflammation owing to its high delta 3-carene content, whereas the Quéntar Reservoir essential oil of B. gibraltaricum was most effective against granuloma induced inflammation.