Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of <i>Pistacia atlantica</i> Desf. Essential Oil From Morocco

Abstract

The present study aims to determine the chemical composition of Pistaca atlantica Desf. collected in the Khenifra region (Morocco). Compounds chemicals of the essential oil were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing assay power (FRAP) methods were used to evaluate antioxidant activity. Antibacterial activity of the essential oil was tested Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Serratia marcescens, Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus. The yield of essential oil was 0.32 ± 0.01 % (w/w) and its analysis by GC/MS has identified 29 components with the dominance of terpinen-4-ol (26.20 %) followed by spathulenol (7.73 %), α-cadinol (6.91 %), epi- α-muurolol (5.61 %), o-cymene (5.33 %), caryophyllene oxide (4.37 %), α-terpineol (4.32 %) and α-pinene (3.43 %). The result of the DPPH and FRAP assay gives IC50 and EC50 values of 82.88 and 1.71 mg/mL respectively. The oxygenated monoterpene and sesquiterpene showed the highest antibacterial activity. The P. atlantica essential oil can be used as a preservative in the food industry to increase food safety and reduce food pathogens risks.