To evaluate the essential oil composition and antimicrobial activity of an Algerian endemic plant,
Daucus aristidis Coss. (Apiaceae) (
D. aristidis) (synonym
Ammiopsis aristidis Batt.) collected in pre-flowering stage in East of Algeria.
Methods
The aerial parts of D. aristidis Coss were collected. Essential oil (in pre-flowering stage) obtained by hydrodistillation was investigated for the first time by gas chromatograph and gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer and evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial activity by the disc diffusion method at various dilutions of the oil.
Results
The main components of D. aristidis oil in pre-flowering stage were α-pinene (20.13%), cedrol (20.11%) and E-asarone (18.53%). D. aristidis oil exhibited an antibacterial activity against almost all the strains tested except for Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603 K6 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 49452 which exhibited a resistance against the oil with all dilutions. Also, the oil of D. aristidis had no activity against all fungi tested.
Conclusions
This is the first report on the volatile constituents and antimicrobial activity of D. aristidis in pre-flowering stage. The studied essential oil possesses moderate antibacterial activity against almost all strains tested but no antifungal activity.
