In the Myrtaceae family, the species Eugenia involucrata DC., popularly known as "cerejeira-do-mato", is traditionally used for the antidiarrheal and digestive action of its leaves. However, no studies were found in the literature regarding its antimicrobial and antioxidant potential. In this context, the objective of the present study was to determine the chemical composition by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to evaluate the antimicrobial activity by the broth microdilution technique and the antioxidant activity by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazila (DPPH) method of the essential oil of E. involucrata leaves. GC-MS identified 28 compounds, all sesquiterpenes, corresponding to 89.41% of the essential oil. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was observed for all Gram-positive bacteria tested (Staplylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis and Staplylococcus aureus) and for yeast Candida albicans. The essential oil presented a reduction capacity of DPPH up to 66.81%, evidencing its antioxidant potential. It is suggested that the antimicrobial and antioxidant action of E. involucrata essential oil is related to the presence of the major compounds, elixene (26.53%), β-caryophyllene (13.16%), α-copaene (8.41%) and germacrene D (7.17%).

SUMMARY The present study aimed to identify and quantify the components of the essential oil of Zanthoxylum caribaeum and to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of different plant extracts and the essential oil of this plant against different serotypes of Salmonella enterica, which is of greater occurrence and isolated in the western region of Paraná, Brazil. The extraction of the essential oil was performed using Clevenger apparatus and the chemical composition was determined by Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The extracts were obtained through different solvents (ethanol, methanol, hexane, acetone, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and distilled water). The antibacterial activity was carried out according to the broth microdilution technique. The GC-MS analysis resulted in the identification of 15 main components, all terpenes, representing 63.88% of the total essential oil. The major compounds identified were Germacrene-D (20.77%), a-Panasinsene (14.40 %) and b-Selinene (11.68 %). The essential oil presented antibacterial activity against 5 serotypes of Salmonella enterica, with MIC and MBC ranging from 7000 to 437 μg.mL-1. While MIC and MBC from the range from 200 to 25 mg.mL-1, being effective to most serotypes of S. enterica, with the exception of the aqueous extract. The results suggest that the essential oil and leaf extracts of Z. caribaeum represent an alternative for the control of S. enterica in the poultry sector, in this way reflecting a new perspective for studies with natural products.