Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of <i>Hypericum maculatum</i> Crantz

Abstract

Abstract For the first time the composition of the essential oil of Hypericum maculatum Crantz has been determined by GC and GC–MS. The oil consisted of a large number of components in low percentages. Only five components exceeded a 5% level: β‐farnesene (10.0%), n ‐undecane (8.2%), β‐caryophyllene (7.6%), δ‐cadinene (7.2%) and γ‐muurolene (5.2%). The oil showed strong antimicrobiological activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Sarcina lutea, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans , documented in vitro by MIC and MMC values. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.