2003Planta MedicaRequires access

Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Lippia graveolens from Guatemala

Lı́gia Salgueiro, Carlos Cavaleiro, Maria José Gonçalves, A. Proença da Cunha

Open publisher page 67 citations

Abstract

The composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Lippia graveolens H.B.K. collected in Guatemala were studied. Two samples of essential oils were obtained from the aerial parts of the plant by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The oils were characterized by their high content of monoterpenes (70.0-87.2 %). Important differences between the major constituents were found, particularly for carvacrol (0.2 vs. 44.8 %), thymol (18.1 vs. 7.4 %) and p-cymene (6.8 vs. 21.8 %). Both oils showed significant activity against all tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as against fungi. Nevertheless, the oil with the higher carvacrol content was found to be more active than the thymol type, with MICs ranging from 0.25 to 0.83 microL/mL and 0.12 to 0.27 microL/mL for bacteria and fungi, respectively.

About this research paper

What this paper is about

The composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Lippia graveolens H.B.K. collected in Guatemala were studied. Two samples of essential oils were obtained from the aerial parts of the plant by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The oils were characterized by their high content of monoterpenes (70.0-87.2 %). Important differences between the major constituents were found, particularly for carvacrol (0.2 vs. 44.8 %), thymol (18.1 vs. 7.4 %) and p-cymene (6.8 vs. 21.8 %). Both oils showed significant activity against all tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as against fungi. Nevertheless, the oil with the higher carvacrol content was found to be more active than the thymol type, with MICs ranging from 0.25 to 0.83 microL/mL and 0.12 to 0.27 microL/mL for bacteria and fungi, respectively.

Why it matters

OpenAlex reports 67 citations for this work. Citation counts describe recorded attention and do not establish research quality.

Key contribution

A contribution statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.

Method / approach

Method details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Main findings

Findings are not separately available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Limitations

Limitations are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Applications

Application details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Available abstract

The composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Lippia graveolens H.B.K. collected in Guatemala were studied. Two samples of essential oils were obtained from the aerial parts of the plant by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The oils were characterized by their high content of monoterpenes (70.0-87.2 %). Important differences between the major constituents were found, particularly for carvacrol (0.2 vs. 44.8 %), thymol (18.1 vs. 7.4 %) and p-cymene (6.8 vs. 21.8 %). Both oils showed significant activity against all tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as against fungi. Nevertheless, the oil with the higher carvacrol content was found to be more active than the thymol type, with MICs ranging from 0.25 to 0.83 microL/mL and 0.12 to 0.27 microL/mL for bacteria and fungi, respectively.

Key concepts: Carvacrol, Thymol, Essential oil, Lippia, Antimicrobial, p-Cymene, Food science, Verbenaceae

Related papers

Back to paper searchBrowse research topicsOriginal source
Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Lippia graveolens from Guatemala — Research Paper | ScholarLens