Multivariate analysis approach to the study of chemical and functional properties of chemo-diverse plant derivatives: Lavender essential oils

Six lavender essential oils, L. angustifolia; five Lavandula x hybrida cultivars: i.e. Super Z, Abrialis, RC, Alardii, Ordinario, were evaluated from the phytochemical and biological standpoint, and the achieved results were computed through multivariate data analysis approach. The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC-FID), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and headspace gas-chromatography (HS-GC-MS). Multivariate analyses (PCA, Principal Component Analysis) identified three main phytochemical clusters among lavender essential oils represented by 1,8-cineole, linalyl-acetate and linalool respectively. Functional properties of the essential oils were checked estimating cytotoxicity and genotoxicity using Saccharomyces cerevisiae D7 strain, antifungal activity against three common phytopathogens (Pythium ultimum, Magnaporthe grisea and Botrytis cinerea) performing agar vapour bioassay and antioxidant capacity through 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and β-carotene bleaching tests. No mutagenic effects were checked, but multivariate analyses (PLS, Partial Least Squares regression) evidenced that those essential oils belonging to linalool cluster were the most cytotoxic. Antifungal activity against phytopathogens confirmed the predictive results of PLS. The differences emerged among lavender essential oils about the weak antioxidant capacities evidenced a positive relation between the high polarity compounds and DPPH method by PLS. Opposite suggestions emerged with the same kind of compounds and β-carotene. Ketones and esters did not exert interesting antioxidant activity. In conclusion, taking lavender essential oils as a pretext and computing a multivariate data analysis of a reduced number of parameters, the proposed approach assured the description of the relationship between a phytocomplex, its constituents and bioactivities and allowed to define a comprehensive, predictive approach to which chemical profile provides the possible synergic overall effort in terms of applicative perspectives.