Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oil kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix DC) leaves from East Borneo

Abstract

Kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix DC) leaves are a versatile plant with high commercialization potential. In the pharmaceutical industry, kaffir lime leaf essential oil is used to stimulate appetite, as a cosmetic ingredient, and as an antibacterial agent. Although most studies have concentrated on the essential oil of kaffir lime leaves, its components and biological activities need to be considered based on the growing location. The chemical components and biological activity of kaffir lime leaf essential oil are affected by differences in growth location. This research was conducted to determine the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil of kaffir lime leaf essential oil from East Borneo. Fresh and dried kaffir lime leaves were extracted by steam distillation method and chemical compound analysis by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and the antibacterial activity of essential oils was analyzed by disc diffusion method. There are twenty-five compounds in the essential oil of fresh and dried kaffir lime leaves. The main components of fresh kaffir lime leave essential oil were citronellal (77.29%), linalool (4.88%), sabinene (4.83%), citronellol (3.41%), β-myrcene (1.23%), and citronellal (74.09%), sabinene (5.54%), linalool (3.59%), citronellol (3.56%), caryophyllene (2.26%) were the main components of the essential oil of dried kaffir lime leaves. The antibacterial activity of essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25925 and Escherichia coli ATCC 8733, with zones of inhibition of 21.75 and 19.17 mm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration on all antibacterial activities was 6.25 μL/mL. The presence of strong antibacterial activity in dried and fresh kaffir lime leaf plant extracts was associated with the presence of citronellal compounds found in essential oil kaffir lime leaves