Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil of Leaves of Etlingera velutina

Behnam  Mahdavi; Wan A.   Yaacob

doi:10.18502/abi.v3i1.19347

Behnam Mahdavi Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran
Wan A. Yaacob School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, 43600, Malaysia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/abi.v3i1.19347

Keywords: Etlingera velutina; Antioxidant Activity; Antimicrobial Activity; Essential oil

Abstract

Objectives: The antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oils areimportant because they offer a natural and effective agent. This study aims toinvestigate the chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity ofthe essential oil of leaves of Etlingera velutina.

Methods: The essential oils from the leaves of Etlingera velutina were obtainedusing a Clevenger-type apparatus, and the chemical compositions of the oils wereidentified by GC-FID and GC-MS methods. The antioxidant activity of the oil wasanalyzed using three common assays. The antimicrobial activity of the oil wasevaluated by disc diffusion assay.

Results: The oil consists of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons with the highest percentage(63.12%). Aromadendrene (58.30%), α-pinene (10.82%), and caryophyllenylalcohol (10.21%) were identified as the main components of the essential oil. Theleaf oil exhibited antioxidant activity in all the tests: DPPH radical scavengingactivity (RSA), β-carotene bleaching (BCB), and ferrous ion chelating ability(FIC). The oil presented activity against B. subtilis, E. aerogenes, P. vulgaris, andCandida parapsilosis.

Conclusion: The data suggest that the essential oil of the leaves of Etlingera velutinarevealed moderate activity against selected microorganisms in antimicrobial andantioxidant assay. It may be considered as a natural agent for bioactivty