Chemical composition, phenolic compounds, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the Satureja khuzestanica Bunge. essential oil in southern Iran

Subject Areas : Journal of Plant Ecophysiology

ramin  babadaeye samani ¹ (گروه علوم باغبانی، واحد استهبان، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، استهبان، ایران)
reza  shirali ² (گروه علوم باغبانی، واحد استهبان، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، استهبان، ایران)
ardalan  alizadeh ³ (گروه علوم باغبانی، واحد استهبان، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، استهبان، ایران)

Received: 2015-05-18 Accepted : 2015-05-18 Published : 2015-05-01

Keywords: Essential oil, Escherichia coli, Satureja khuzestanica, carvacrol, candida albicans,

Abstract :

The genus Satureja belongs to the family of lamiaceae, this genus contains about 235 species which 16 species of this genus exist in Iran of which 9 species are endemic. The experiment was carried out to evaluate the essential oil composition, phenolic compounds, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oil of Satureja khuzestanica. Aerial parts of S.khuzestanica were collected from the natural habitat of the plant in Khuzestan province and dried and powdered. Essential oil was obtained by hydro distillation using Clevenger for 3 hr and dried by sodium solphat anhydrous. The weight percentage of essential oil was 3.18%. Essential oil components were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). 43 compounds were identified in the S. khuzestanica essential oil comprised 99.96% of total. Major compounds were: carvacrol (77.21%), γ-Terpinene (6.43%), α-Farnesene (2.30%), and p-Cymene (2.24%). Phenolic compounds were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and antioxidant activity was performed DPPH method. The results showed that the phenolic compounds of S.khuzestanica 25.52±1.35 mg Gallic acid per gram of dry matter and amount of antioxidant activity of the plant was 8.12±0.22 µg per ml. Antimicrobial activities were tested against Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans by disc diffusion method according to a factorial test, based on Randomized Complet Design with three replications. The results showed that the essential oil of the plant has high antimicrobial effect against micro-organisms were investigated and inhibitory effect on C. albicans was greater than Escherichia coli.