Phytochemical and biological profiling of Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach essential oil from Georgia

Several species belonging to the Pinaceae family have historically been employed in traditional folk remedies for managing various health conditions such as colds, stomach discomfort, digestive issues, and ailments affecting the vascular, respiratory, and reproductive systems. These plants are recognized for exhibiting a wide range of biological activities, including insect juvenile hormone-like effects, along with antitumor, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-ulcer, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, antitussive, and central nervous system-related properties. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and biological activities of Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach needles collected from Georgia’s Kartli floristic region in 2024. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of over 100 compounds in the essential oil (EO) extracted from the needles, with pinenes identified as the major constituents. The EO demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 = 0.113 ± 0.008 v/v; NO inhibition: 100%) and marked antioxidant capacity, as indicated by both the ORAC assay (7 ± 2 μmol TE/mL) and in vitro testing on WS-1 cells (>0.125 v/v), while exhibiting minimal cytotoxicity toward both normal and cancerous cells. Antibacterial efficacy was relatively weak, with IC90 values of 169 ± 4 μg/mL for Escherichia coli and 163 ± 36 μg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus. No antifungal effect was observed against Candida albicans, with IC90 exceeding 200 μg/mL.