title: Chemical composition and biological activities of essential oil from the leaves of Sesuvium portulacastrum.
abstract: Sesuvium portulacastrum has long been used as a remedy for fever and scurvy. Hydrodistillation was used to extract the essential oil from the fresh leaves of Sesuvium portulacastrum. The essential oil yield obtained was 0.15%. Using GC-MS analysis, alpha-pinene, camphene, beta-pinene, alpha-terpinene, O-cymene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, alpha-terpinene, bornyl acetate, tridecane, trans-caryophyllene and alpha-humulene were identified. The hole plate diffusion method was used for antibacterial testing. The essential oil exhibited antibacterial activity against Acetobacter calcoacetica, Bacillus subtillis, Clostridium sporogenes, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhii, Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia enterocolitica. The mycelium growth inhibition method was used for the antifungal testing. The oil exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium notatum. Using the beta-carotene, acetone and linoleic acid method for the antioxidant testing, the essential oil showed antioxidant activity threshold of 15.9 mm mean zone of color retention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Electron Microscope Unit, University of Fort Hare, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Magwa
authors.forename: Mazuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gundidza
authors.forename: Nyasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gweru
authors.forename: Godfred
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Humphrey
mesh_terms: D035722:Aizoaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D009822:Oils, Volatile