Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oils of Callistemon citrinus and Callistemon viminalis from South Africa.

Oyedeji, Opeoluwa O.; Lawal, Oladipupo. A.; Shode, Francis. O.; Oyedeji, Adebola. O.

The chemical composition and the antibacterial activity of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from the leaves of Callistemon citrinus and Callistemon viminalis were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Twenty-four and twelve components were identified for C. citrinus and C. viminalis, representing 92.0% and 98.3% of the total oils. The major components of C. citrinus and C. viminalis were 1,8-cineole (61.2% and 83.2%) and α-pinene (13.4% and 6.4%), respectively. The in vitro antibacterial activity of the essential oils was studied against 12 bacteria strains using disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The oils exhibited strong zone of inhibitions against some bacteria such as S. faecalis (20.3-24.0 mm), both strains of S. aureus (23.0-26.3 mm), B. cereus (17.3-19.0 mm) and S. macrcesens (11.3-23.7 mm) when compared to standard antibiotics gentamycin and tetracycline used as controls. Expect for P. aeruginosa and S. macrcescens, the MIC values of both essential oils ranged from 0.31-2.50 mg/mL.

SOUTH Africa; CALLISTEMON; ANTIBACTERIAL agents; ESSENTIAL oils; DIFFUSION; ANTIBIOTICS; TETRACYCLINE; ANTISEPTICS; MYRTACEAE

Molecules, 2009, Vol 14, Issue 6, p1990

1420-3049

Academic Journal

10.3390/molecules14061990