Essential Oil Derived from Horticultural By-Products of Artemisa dracunculus L.: A Sustainable Source of Bioactive Compounds with Multiple Biological Activities

Agricultural and horticultural by-products represent an underexploited source of valuable bioactive compounds that can contribute to the development of more sustainable production systems. This study investigated the chemical composition and biological activities of the essential oil obtained from the horticultural byproducts of Artemisia dracunculus. The waste aerial biomass was subjected to steam distillation, and the essential oil was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Its antioxidant, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory, phytotoxic, antibacterial, and antibiofilm activities were subsequently evaluated. The essential oil was characterized as an estragole-rich chemotype (70.17%), with trans-β-ocimene and cis-β-ocimene as other main constituents. The essential oil showed moderate antioxidant activity and measurable enzyme inhibitory activity and, despite showing limited effects on seed germination, it significantly inhibited radical elongation in selected plant species. Furthermore, it demonstrated excellent antibiofilm activity, significantly reducing the metabolic activity of mature cells of bacteria associated with biofilm formation: Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The results demonstrate how horticultural by-products from A. dracunculus maintain a chemical profile comparable to conventional plant material and represent a valuable source of bioactive compounds with promising potential for sustainable agri-food applications.