Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of volatile compounds of Tamarix boveana (Tamaricaceae)

Microbiol Res. 2008;163(4):445-55. doi: 10.1016/j.micres.2006.07.009. Epub 2007 Jan 16.

Abstract

The chemical composition of the Tamarix boveana volatile oils obtained from the whole aerial part, flowers, leaves and stems by steam distillation was analysed using gas chromatograph (GC)-flame ionization detectors (FID) and GC-MS. Sixty-two components were identified. Hexadecanoic acid (18.14%), docosane (13.34%), germacrene D (7.68%), fenchyl acetate (7.34%), Benzyl benzoate (4.11%) were found to be the major components in the whole aerial parts. This composition differed according to the tested part: 2.4 Nonadienal was the main compound in the flowers (12.13%) while germacrene D was the major component in leaves (31.43%) and hexadecanoic acid in the stems (13.94%). To evaluate in vitro antimicrobial activity, all volatile oils were tested against six Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and four fungi. The T. boveana volatile oils exhibited an interesting antibacterial activity against all strains tested except Pseudomonas aeruginosa but no antifungal activity was detected.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Infective Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Flowers / chemistry
  • Fungi / drug effects
  • Fungi / growth & development
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / growth & development
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / growth & development
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Oils, Volatile / chemistry*
  • Oils, Volatile / isolation & purification
  • Oils, Volatile / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Plant Stems / chemistry
  • Tamaricaceae / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Plant Extracts