CHEMISTRY COMPOSITION AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF Citrus paradisi, Juglans neotropica Diels, Schinus molle Y Tagetes elliptica SMITH

Abstract

The chemical composition and the antibacterial effect of the essential oils of Citrus paradisi, Juglans neotropica Diels, Schinus molle L. and Tagetes elliptica Smith) were determinided for gas chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and plate microdilution respectively were studied. In Citrus paradisi, 21 components were found, the main ones being D-Limonene (83,45%), octanal (8,68%) and β-myrcene (2,48%); in Juglans neotropica Diels 36 components were found, the main ones being α-pinene (39,88%), caryophylene (27,66%) and β-pinene (11,00%); 37 components were found in Schinus molle, the main α-phelandrene (19,59%), camphene (19,10%) and α-pinene (16,56%); and in Tagetes elliptica Smith found 33 components, with the majority being β-mircene (63,49%), cis-lanalool oxide (10,07%) and 2-tujene (7,77%). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the essential oils of Citrus paradisi, Juglans neotropica Diels, Schinus molle L. and Tagetes elliptica Smith were less than 2.5 μL/mL for Staphylococcus aureus, and for Staphylococcus epidermidis were less than 5 μL/mL, with the exception of Juglans neotropica Diels which was > 40 μL/mL; and all the oils were inactive against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results found corroborate the great antibacterial potential of the essential oils studied.