Antimicrobial activity of essential oil from Baccharis grisebachii

HADAD M; LIMA B; SORTINO M; ZYGADLO J A; FERESIN G. E; ZACCHINO S; TAPIA A

Uspallata, Mendoza. Argentina

Congreso; XXIII Congreso Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo, 2005; 2005

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Infusions of aerial parts of Baccharis grisebachii Hieron (Asteraceae) are used to treat gastric ulcers, as a digestive, antiseptic and wound-healer in San Juan folk medicine. Chemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of its essential oil constituents are lacking. Thus, the aim of this work is the identification of the volatile components of its aerial parts by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC–MS). In addition, essential oil antimicrobial activity was assessed by the agar dilution method. Fresh aerial parts (300 g) collected in San Juan province, were submitted to hydrodistillation for 4 h in a modified Clevenger apparatus. The oil yield was 0.20% (0.6 mL of oil) and showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Methicillin-sensitive and methicillin–resistant strains of Sthaphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were strongly inhibited (MIC = 1 ìg/mL).Candida albicans, C.tropicalis, Cryptococcus neoformans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, filamentous fungi Aspergillus flavus A fumigatus, A niger, and dermatophyte Microsporum gypseum with MICs ranging from 62.5 to 250 ìg/ mLl. Also,Trichophyton rubrum, the most common agent of dermatophytic infection and T. mentagrophytes were inhibited (MIC= 62.5 ìg/mL). Our results support the traditional use of infusions of B grisebachii as an antiseptic by the Andean population in western Argentina.