Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil of Anthemis gayana Growing in Iran

Abstract

Anthemis gayana is belong to Asteraceae family. The aim of this study was to appraise of effects of the essential oils of A. gayana against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The hydrodistilled volatile oil from aerial parts of A. gayana was analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS ) technique. Ninteen compounds were identified and the major constituents were caryophyllene oxide (9.1 %), spathulenol (7.7 %), 1,8-cineole (6.8 %) and germacrene D (5.8 %). The antimicrobial capacity of the aerial parts essential oils of A. gayana is screened against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The oil mildly inhibited the growth of microorganisms, The best antibacterial activity of essential oils of A. gayana was observed against Bacillus pumilus and Salmonella typhii with ZI=10.5± 0.5 mm and MIC value of 128 μg/ ml. Antimicrobial activity of A.gayana against Salmonella typhi is particularly interesting from a medical point of view because S. typhi is a pathogen bacterial agent that is responsible for severe typhoid fever infection.