Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oils of Three Plant Species from the Sabana of Bogota (Colombia): Myrcianthes leucoxyla, Vallea stipularis and Phyllanthus salviifolius

Abstract

In recent decades, essential oils (EOs) have become an important alternative source of antimicrobial agents. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of EOs obtained from the leaves of Myrcianthes leucoxyla Mc. Vaughn., Vallea stipularis L.f and Phyllanthus salviifolius Kunth for prevalent microbial strains and also to contribute to the knowledge of their chemical composition. EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. The main compounds for V. stipularis EO were α-tujene (6.6%) and cedrene epoxide (12.0%), for M. leucoxila EO 1,8 cineole (6.3%) and caryophyllene oxide (21.7%), and for P. salviifolius aristolene (17.3%) and geranyl tiglate (15.9%). Antimicrobial tests showed that M. leucoxyla EO was the most active, showing zones of inhibition against all strains used, specifically against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium with percentages of inhibition higher than 50%. Compared with positive controls, this activity may be related to the presence of 1,8 cineole.