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Abstract
Analysis of the hydrodistilled essential oil from the fresh leaves of Lippia citriodora Kunth (Verbenaceae), cultivated in Egypt at two different growth stages, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) resulted in the identification of 22 and 25 components in the oils prepared during the vegetative (June) and flowering (October) stages, respectively. The composition of the essential oils differed quantitatively and qualitatively according to the time of collection. The four major detected constituents (neral, geranial, dl-limonene and α-curcumene) exhibited remarkable differences between the two stages. Total percentage of oxygenated monoterpene aldehydes, represented by neral and geranial, decreased from 41.2 % to 35.2 % in June and October, respectively. On the other hand, the percentage of α-curcumene increased from 5.6 % to 14.5 %, while dl-limonene, the major monoterpene hydrocarbon was found only in June (10.6 %). The essential oil exhibited variable anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic and antioxidant properties. It also showed a moderate antibacterial activity.