CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF SCHINUS MOLLE L. GROWTH İN ALGERIA

Abstract

The essential oil of Schinus molle L. from plants grown in Bejaia, Algeria, obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger type apparatus was investigated by GC and GC/MS. The main components were α-phellandrene (26.5%), limonene (8.6%), β-phellandrene (12.4%), elemol (10.8%) and α-eudesmol (6.1%). Furthermore, the essential oil exhibited antibacterial activity using the microdilution broth method against two Grampositive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes) and one Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli).