Chemical Composition of Essential Oils by  GC–MS and Antibacterial Activity of their  Compounds against Human Pathogenic  Bacteria

R.R.Thanighai Arassu; B.Asha Nancy; P. Sivamani

Volume : II, Issue : VII, July - 2013

Chemical Composition of Essential Oils by GC–MS and Antibacterial Activity of their Compounds against Human Pathogenic Bacteria

R. R. Thanighai Arassu, B. Asha Nancy, P. Sivamani

Abstract :

The essential oils of four plants such as Cymbopogon martini, Mentha piperita, Pelargonium graveolens and Rosemarinus officinalis were selected for chemical analysis and antibacterial activity on selected opportunistic bacterial pathogens. The chemical composition of the oils was analyzed by GC-MS technique and many compounds were identified. The purity of these chemical compounds was tested by GC. Four chemical compounds geraniol, trans-geraniol, citral and farnesol were chosen for in vitro antibacterial activity, which was evaluated by agar well diffusion method against five selected clinical isolates of bacterial species. All the four chemical compounds were found to be more effective against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. The present study suggested that these chemical compounds can be used in treating human diseases caused by the test organisms.