Chemical composition, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity of essential oil from Citrus aurantium L zest against some pathogenic microorganisms

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity of Citrus aurantium L zest essential oil. The identification of the chemical compounds was done using chromatography analysis. The antioxidant activity was studied by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Results showed that the main components of the essential oil were limonene (85.22%), β-myrcene (4.3%), and α-pinene (1.29%). Regarding the DPPH radical scavenging ability, the zest essential oil showed higher activity than limonene. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil against pathogenic [Staphylococcus aureus NBIMCC 3703, Salmonella sp. (clinical isolate), Pseudomonas aeruginosa NBIMCC 1390, Bacillus subtilis NBIMCC 1208, Escherichia coli NBIMCC 3702] microorganisms by disc-diffusion method was examined. Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to the oil (inhibition zones being between 9 and 12.5 mm) and the minimum inhibitory concentration was more than 600 ppm; Gram-negative bacteria were less sensitive. The obtained essential oil displayed promising results for its application as a biopreservative agent.

Biological Activity and Antibiofilm Molecular Profile of Citrus aurantium Essential Oil and Its Application in a Food Model

“…In another study, the EOs extracted from the peel of C. aurantium showed little antimicrobial activity against B. cereus, S. flexneri, K. pneumoniae , and Colletotrichum capsici [ 56 ]. Gram-positive bacteria were generally more sensitive to the activity of the CAEO [ 57 ]. Previous reports suggest that the antimicrobial activity of CAEO depends on specific microbial species; however, the activity is strain-dependent [ 58 , 59 , 60 ], which is in agreement with our results.…”

“…The CAEO can be applied in the production and processing of different foods of plant and animal origin based materials, e.g., meat, fish, cheese, and cosmetic industry, for the production of different hygienic products and fragrances. Multilateral physiological effects are well-known and widely utilized in medicine [ 57 ].…”

Yield, Phytochemical Constituents, and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils from the Leaves/Twigs, Branches, Branch Wood, and Branch Bark of Sour Orange (Citrus aurantium L.)

“…Zest EO had limonene (85.22%), β-myrcene (4.3%), and α-pinene (1.29%) as the main components, and the EO showed higher antioxidant activity than did limonene alone with a potential for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli [13]. Among 34 kinds of citrus EOs, four EOs from C. aurantium zest presented good antioxidant activities, as measured by a DPPH assay [16].…”

“…EOs from Citrus spp., especially from peels, have been studied extensively in many research projects over the past few decades [9][10][11]. They have exhibited bioactivity potentials against the growth of pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and insects [12,13]. The main chemical compounds identified in the EOs from Citrus were limonene, α-pinene, β-pinene, citral, linalool, myrcene, γ-terpinene, eugenol methyl ether, neral, geranial, neryl acetate, and β-caryophyllene [14][15][16][17][18].…”

“…amara Engl with major constituents of linalool, α-terpineol, (R)-limonene, and linalyl acetate [32]. C. aurantium zest EO is composed of limonene (85.22%), β-myrcene, and α-pinene as the main compounds [13]. EO of sweet orange zest consisted of limonene as the main compound, followed by myrcene, α-farnesene, and γ-terpinene [33,34], whereas the EO of sweet orange zest from Uganda and Rwanda contained limonene, myrcene, α-pinene, and linalool [35].…”