Essential oil of Brachylaena hutchinsii Hutch. from Tanzania: composition and antimicrobial activity

11.6. M. M. OLIVA, M. S. DEMO, R. S. MALELE, J. W. MWANGI, G. N. THOITHI, I. O. KIBWAGE, S. M. FAILACCI, L. R. SCRIVANTI, A. G. LOPEZ AND J. A. ZYGADLO

The East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciencies

Año: 2003 vol. 6 p. 61 - 63

1026-552X

The hydrodistilled essential oil of fresh aerial parts of Brachylaena hutchinsii was analyzed by GC/MS. Thirteen compounds representing 94.7 % of the oil were identified. The main components of the oil were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, caryophyllene (19.1 %), b -cubebene (15.5 %), cis-calamenene (10.5 %) and a -copaene (9.0 %). The oil exhibited antimicrobial activity which was as much as that of gentamycin against Proteus mirabilis. It also showed some activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus and Enterococcus faecalis.