Chemical composition and inhibitory activity against Helicobacter pylori of the essential oil of Apium nodiflorum (Apiaceae).

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from Apium nodiflorum (L.) Lag. (Family Apiaceae), a plant used in the ethnomedical traditions of the Abruzzo region (Central Italy) as a culinary herb, as a diuretic, and to cure stomachache, was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and 14 components were identified. Limonene (27.72 %), p-cymene (23.06%), myristicine (18.51%), and beta-pinene (6.62%) were the main components. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was assayed in vitro against Helicobacter pylori (strain DSMZ 4867), resulting in a minimum inhibitory concentration value of 12.5 microg/mL.