Preparation and Analysis of Rosa damascena Essential Oil Composition and Antimicrobial Activity Assessment of Related Fractions

Abstract

Hospital-acquired infections, also known as nosocomial infections, are associated with increased hospital stay lengths and mortality rates. Increasing resistance to antibiotics usually results in more complexity of related management. Novel antimicrobial compounds derived from natural sources may be useful for addressing antibiotics resistance. Traditionally, plants have been used to prevent and cure infectious diseases. The aim of this study was the determination of volatile constituent of Rosa damascena oil as well as antimicrobial activity of essential oil and its related fractions against pathogens causing nosocomial infections. The essential oil was fractionated by column chromatography using silica gel as stationary phase. The column was eluted by petroleum ether: diethyl ether by increasing polarity (1:0, 1:1, 0:1). All four samples were analyzed by GC/MS. Antifungal and antibacterial activity of essential oil and its fractions were performed using microdilution method according to CLSI protocol. The analysis of essential oil and fractions reveals that nonadecane and heneicosane are the major fatty acids. The essence has weak activity on bacteria and fungi growth. Major compounds were fatty acid in fraction 1, which had the least effects on microorganism, while the active fractions (2, 3) were indicated alcoholic monoterpene that had the best antifungal and antibacterial effects. In addition, fractions 2 and 3 showed good antifungal and antibacterial effects on nosocomial isolates, especially antibiotic-resistant organisms. It seems that these fractions might have the potential to be a candidate for further investigation of novel antibiotics in management of nosocomial infections. However, further clinical studies are needed to corroborate the outcome of this study.