The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of Santolina chamaecyparissus L., growing in Algeria, was investigated by GC-MS analyses. A total of 36 compounds were identified, accounting for 91.7% of the essential oil obtained. Camphor (31.1%) and cubenol (17.0%) were the predominant compounds. The potential of the antimicrobial activity was also investigated and the tested sample proved to be very active against Klebsiella pneumonia and Candida albicans (34.1 ± 0.02 mm and 35.0 ± 0.01 mm, respectively). Transverse sections of the leaf and stem of the plant suggest that the essential oil is localized in endogenous and exogenous sites.

No abstract