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Abstract

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of leaves and berries essential oils from Juniperus foetidissima Willd. (Cupressaceae) grown in R. Macedonia (RM) was investigated. GC/FID/MS analysis was carried out and 93 components were identified, representing 89.7-96.5% of the oils. The major components of the berries essential oil were α-pinene (19.2%), limonene (24.9%) and cedrol (23.1%), followed by smaller amounts of b-funebrene, trans-caryophyllene, germacrene D and d-cadinene. The composition of the leaves essential oil was variable depending on the region of collection. Accordingly, samples originated from southeastern RM contained essential oil with α-pinene (67.6%) and limonene (10.0%), from central part of RM with limonene (17.9-27.1%) and cedrol (28.8-33.9%), while samples from southwestern RM contained oil with terpinen-4-ol (19.1%), cis-thujone (8.3%), germacrene D (11.0%) and d-cadinene (6.3%) as predominant components in the oil. Antimicrobial screening of the essential oils was made by disc diffusion and broth dilution method against 16 bacterial strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and one strain of Candida albicans. The leaves essential oil showed stronger antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Haemophilus influenzae (MIC = 125 ml/ml) and moderate activity against Campylobacter jejuni (MIC > 500 ml/ml). Other investigated bacterial strains and Candida albicans were completely resistant to the antimicrobial activity of J. foetidissima essential oils.