Chemical composition and biological activities of essential oil from Ocotea quixos (Lam.) Kosterm. leaves grown wild in Ecuador

Abstract

The chemical composition of the essential oil from leaves of Ocotea quixos (Lam.) Kosterm. grown wild in Ecuador was studied by GC-FID and GC-MS. A total of 112 volatile compounds were identified in the essential oil, of which the most prominent were 1,8-cineol (21.4%) and p-cymene (12.6%). Furthermore, we assessed the antioxidant properties by using the DPPH and the ferric reducing antioxidant power assays and found that the essential oil had a moderate antioxidant activity. The essential oil has antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram- negative bacteria as well as fungi. The minimal inhibitory concentration were Staphylococcus aureus(0.5 µL/L), Bacillus subtilis (0.05 µL/L), Escherichia coli (5 µL/L),Salmonella Enteritidis (0.05 µL/L), Aspergillus niger (0.5 µL/L) and Pennicilium citrinum (0.5 µL/L).