Antimicrobial potential of essential oils and their chemical components
Antimicrobial potential of essential oils and their chemical components
- Author(s) Nacera Tadjine and S. Messgo-Moumene
- Year: 2024
- Month: January
- Volume: 61
- Pages: 53-62
Essential oils (EO) extracted by hydrodistillation from four aromatic plants endemic to the Djbabra region in Algeria (Eucalyptus globulus, Lavandula aspic, Pistacia lenticus and Myrtus communis) were analysed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (CG/ SM). The obtained results showed that M. communis essential oil is the richest in terpinen-4-ol, L. aspic in terpenyl, E. globulus essential oils in 3-carence, and P. lenticus essential oil in germacrene. In addition, the main bioactive compounds present in the essential oil of myrtle rich in alpha-pinene (57.58 %), limonene (7.38 %) and 1. 8 cineole (17.61 %). The essential oil of Pistacia lentiscus is rich in a-pinene (18.72 %), limonene (5.90 %) and ß-myrcene (36.92 %); eucalyptus essential oil has significant concentrations of p-cymene (19 %), ß-phellandrene(11 %) and 1,8 cineole (8.0 %), while the essential oil of lavender is rich in eucalyptol (57.0 %), terpinyl formate(4.0 %), and terpinyl acetate (1.0 %) bioactive compounds, respectively. The obtained results from the in vitro study revealed that most of the essential oils exhibited antimicrobial properties. Among the tested essential oils, P. lenticus and Eucalyptus were discovered to demonstrate the strongest antifungal activity. The recorded MIC of S. Typhi NCTC 6017 was 86.3µg/mL and 56.1 µg/mL of E. coli, compared to E. globulus. Similarly, only S. aureus showed antibacterial activity towards M. communis (68.4 µg/mL), L. aspic and E. globulus (86.3 µg/mL). Based on the obtained results, it is possible to conclude that four plants endemic essential oil might be used as an ecological antimicrobial in treating infectious diseases caused by the tested pathogens.
