Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil from Leaves of Maytenus obtusifolia Mart. (Celastraceae)

Abstract

The essential oil of the leaves of Maytenus obtusifolia (Celastraceae) was analyzed using both GC and GC/MS. The results revealed 17 constituents among which octadeca-9,12,15-trienol (31.1%), hexadenoic acid (30.0%), methyl linoleate (5.7%) and dodecanoic acid (4.6%) bore the largest percentages. The antimicrobial activity of M. obtusifolia oil was studied using the agar diffusion test on 13 strains of bacteria, and against fungus and yeast. The oil showed significant antimicrobial activity against Sthaphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Escherichia coli (ATCC 18739), Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 9610), Candida albicans (ATCC 13803), Candida tropicalis (LM 37), Candida guilliermondii (LM V70) and Aspergillus flavus (LM 247).

Key Word Index:

• Maytenus obtusifolia
• Celastraceae
• essential oil composition
• octadeca-9,12,15-trienol
• hexadecanoic acid
• antimicrobial activity