The essential oils chemical compositions of Pulicaria arabica (L.) Cass. and P. undulata (L.) C.A.Mey. growing wild in Oman

The genus Pulicaria Gaertn. belongs to the Asteraceae family. The geographical distribution of Pulicaria arabica (L.) Cass. encompasses the Mediterranean basin, the Arabian Peninsula, and Pakistan. Pulicaria undulata (L.) C.A.Mey. is native to the Canary Islands and extends from the Saharan region to India. Historically, both taxa have been widely exploited for their therapeutic properties. In this study, the chemical composition of the essential oils isolated from these Omani plants, which has not previously been investigated, was evaluated by GC-MS. The essential oil of P. arabica (Pa) was characterised by high concentrations of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (55.54%) and neryl derivatives (18.89%), whereas the major constituents of the P. ondulata essential oil (Pu) were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (32.23%), acids and esters (27.49%), and diterpenes (19.21%). A comparative analysis with other Pulicaria profiles is presented, complemented by a comprehensive review of the ethnopharmacological applications of P. arabica and P. undulata in traditional medicine.