Chemical composition of Schinus areira essential oil and antimicrobial action against Staphylococcus aureus

CUTRO AC; CASTELLI, MARÍA VICTORIA; LOPÉZ S.; ROSALES M; HOLLAMANN A; RODRIGUEZ, SA

NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH

TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2021 vol. 17 p. 2931 - 2936

1478-6419

A key strategy to control antibiotic resistance is the development of novel antibacterials. In particular, the antimicrobial activities of plant extracts and essential oils have formed the basis of many alternative medicines and natural therapies. In this context, the genus Schinus L. (Anacardiaceae), represented by 22 species in Argentina, exhibits many traditional uses in medicine. However, a few studies on the antimicrobial properties of Schinus areira essential oils were conducted. The essential oil from S. areira leaves from Santiago del Estero (Nor-west Argentina) was obtained by hidrodestilation and twenty-eight compounds were identified using CG-MS-EI spectrometry. The sesquiterpenoid alcohol 1-epi-cadinol was the major compound, followed by δ-cadinene, alloaromadendrene, β-pinene, β-caryophyllene, and γ-cadinene. The essential oil obtained exhibited antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, showing a bacteriostatic activity at 64 µg/mL and bacteriolytic activity at 256 µg/mL; contrary, in E. coli non antibacterial effect was observed in the assayed conditions. This behaviour was accompanied by significant changes in Zeta potential on the bacterial surface. The data obtained suggest that the essential oil of Schinus areira present potential use in pharmaceutical industries.