Abstract
The antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) grown in Mozambique was investigated. The chemical composition was studied by means of GC and GC-MS analysis. Hexacosane (13.9%), pentacosane (13.3%) and heptacosane (11.4%) were the main components. Ultra High Performance Chromatography-DAD analysis detected the flavonoids quercetin (126 μg/g) and luteolin (6.2 μg/g). The essential oil exhibited a relatively low free radical scavenging capacity. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was assayed against two Gram-positive strains (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus), two Gram-negative strains (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and five fungal strains of agro-food interest (Penicillium aurantiogriseum, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium digitatum, and Aspergillus niger spp.). B. cereus and P. aeruginosa, as well as the fungal strains were sensitive to the essential oil.
Highlights
Moringa, native to Asia and spread in most parts of Africa, is the sole genus in the flowering plant family Moringaceae
The aim of this paper was to study the chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from leaves of M. oleifera grown in Mozambique and to evaluate its potential antioxidant and in vitro antimicrobial activity
The GC-FID analysis was carried out on a Perkin-Elmer Sigma-115 gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID) and a data handling processor
Summary
Native to Asia and spread in most parts of Africa, is the sole genus in the flowering plant family Moringaceae This genus is made of 12 species [1]. Moringa oleifera Lam. is one of the most economically important species indigenous to dry tropical areas in the Northwestern India, at the Southwestern foot of the Himalayas [2]. It is widely cultivated in different countries [3]. The aim of this paper was to study the chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from leaves of M. oleifera grown in Mozambique and to evaluate its potential antioxidant and in vitro antimicrobial activity
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