Phytochemical analysis and allelopathic activity of essential oils of Ecballium elaterium A. Richard growing in Iran.

The hydrodistillated essential oils from leaves and fruits of Ecballium elaterium were analysed by GC-MS. Octyl octanoate (30.0%), 3-(6,6- dimethyl-5-oxohept-2-enyl)-cyclohexanone (20.4%) and hexahydro farnesyl acetone (19.1%) were the main components among 21 constituents characterised in the leaf oil. Twenty-one compounds were also identified in the oil of the fruits, with E-anethol (31.6%) and 3-(6,6-dimethyl-5-oxohept-2-enyl)-cyclohexanone (8.8%) as the main constituents. Furthermore, allelopatic activity of the oils was evaluated using lettuce assay method. The leaf oil exhibited strong allelopathy effects against lettuce.