ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Chemical profiling, phytotoxicity, and in silico evaluation of Eremobium aegyptiacum subsp. longisiliquum: volatile compounds and fatty acids as potential natural herbicidal agents

Roukia Zatout, Ouided Benslama, Fatima Zohra Makhlouf, Chaima Zatout, and Stefania Garzoli

Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural and Life Science, University of Blida 1, Ouled Yaich, Blida, Algeria

E-mail: roukia.zatout@umc.edu.dz

Received: 5 February 2026  Accepted: 26 April 2026

Abstract:

Weeds are a major challenge in agriculture, and plant-derived natural compounds offer a sustainable alternative to synthetic herbicides. Eremobium aegyptiacum subsp. longisiliquum, a native species growing in the semi-arid regions of Ghardaia, Algeria, remains largely unexplored for its bioactive potential. This study aimed to investigate the volatile compounds, fatty acids composition, and phytotoxicity of n-hexane and dichloromethane extracts using wheat germination and leaf puncture assays, complemented by molecular docking analyses. SPME-GCMS and fatty acid profiling revealed a chemically rich composition dominated by hexahydrofarnesylacetone (45%), undecane (27.2%), dihydroactinidiolide (14%), oleic acid (49.8%), and palmitic acid (30.8%).HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis revealed a volatile fraction dominated by hexahydrofarnesylacetone (45.0%), undecane (27.2%), and dihydroactinidiolide (14.0%), while fatty acid profiling identified oleic acid (49.8%) and palmitic acid (30.8%) as the major lipid constituents. Both extracts exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of wheat seed germination and induced necrotic lesions on Oxalis corniculata, Urtica dioica, and Brachypodium sylvaticum, with the n-hexane extract showing the strongest activity. Molecular docking suggested that the major constituents may interact with key plant enzymes, including acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS), 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), and protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO). These interactions may be associated with the disruption of amino acid biosynthesis and pigment-related pathways.

Keywords: Eremobium aegyptiacum subsp. longisiliquum; Volatile compounds; Fatty acids; Phytotoxicity; Molecular docking; AHAS; HPPD; PPO; Natural herbicide

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04963-7

Chemical Papers 80 (8) 9473–9488 (2026)