The antifungal activity of Mentha piperita L. essential oil and its comparison with synthetic menthol on Aspergillus niger growth have been determined in vitro. The chemical compositions of essential oil of M. piperita provided from the aerial parts of plants grown in a village in Kerman Province in June 2012 were determined. The sample was cleaned and then dried in the shade. Essential oil was made by hydro-distillation method and analyzed by capillary gas chromatography (GC) using flame ionization (FID) and capillary gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The main oil content from the plants of M. piperita was 3.26% (v/w). Twenty three (23) compounds were identified in the essential oil of M. piperita, making 96.25% of the total oil. The major components were menthol (38.33%), menthone (21.45%) and menthyl acetate (12.49%). For study of antifungal activity, the essential oil was tested against A. niger (strain PTCC = 5223) by disc diffusion method via average inhibition zone. The results showed that essential oil from M. piperita at 1 and 1/2 oil dilutions exhibited a strong antifungal activity than gentamycin (8 mg/ml) antibiotic on A. niger and exhibited a strong synthetic menthol at 10% dilution. The relative high amount of menthol and menthone in the M. piperita essential oil showed that they could display antifungal activity.

No abstract

The chemical constituents of essential oil were obtained from the fresh leaves and flowers of Hyssopus officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) by hydro distillation method analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Hydro distillation method was used to extract the essential oil. Thirty-five compounds were identified, accounting for 92.13% of the total oil with 0.75% (v/w) oil yield in the essential oil of the leaves. The main constituents of the essential oil were Iso pinocamphone (38.47%), Pinocomphone (13.32%), n-decane (8.67%) and Pinocarvone (5.34%). Thirty-six compounds were identified, accounting for 98.68% of the total oil with 1.38% (v/w) oil yield in the essential oil of the flowers. The main constituents of the essential oil were Iso pinocamphone (40.25%), Pinocomphone (14.92%), n-decane (8.63%) and Pinocarvone (6.76%).

The antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Laurus nobilis L. on human pathogenic bacteria by disc diffusion method via average inhibition zone was studied. The chemical composition of the essential oil of the leaves of L. nobilis L. (Lauraceae) were obtained by hydrodistillation method and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Thirty three compounds, accounting for 95.75% of the total oil with 1.8% (v/w) oil yield were identified in the essential oil of the leaves. The major components were 1,8-cineole (25.7%), sabinene (8.7%) and α-pinene (5.25%). To study the antibacterial activity, the essential oil tested against 9 bacteria strains such as three Gram positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus faecalis and six Gram negative bacteria: Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneuomoniae, Salmonella typhi, Serratia marcescens and Escherichia coli were studied. Effect of the essential oil of L. nobilis on bacteria tested was more than that of tetracycline antibiotic. The results showed that the essential oil of L. nobilis had strong anti-bacterial effects.

No abstract