title: Chemical composition and in vitro evaluation of antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the root oil of Ridolfia segetum (L.) Moris from Tunisia.
abstract: The present work describes the chemical composition and evaluates the antibacterial and the antioxidant properties of root oil from Ridolfia segetum, a traditional medicinal plant widely distributed in Tunisia. The essential oil, analysed by combination of GC, GC/MS and (13)C-NMR, was dominated by dillapiole (47.4%) and myristicin (19.2%). The antioxidant potential of the essential oil was evaluated using the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging method. The phenylpropanoid-rich root oil possesses good antioxidant properties (IC(50) = 38 mg mL(-1)). The essential oil was evaluated for its antibacterial activity using the microdilution assay, resulting in the inhibition of a number of common human pathogenic bacteria as well as of some clinical and environmental isolated strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of the essential oil varied between 1.25 and 5 mg mL(-1) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations were superior to 5 mg mL(-1) of oil for most strains. These results may suggest that the root oil of R. segetum possesses compounds with antibacterial and antioxidant capacities, and therefore can be explored as a natural preservative ingredient in food and/or for pharmaceutical preparations.
authors.affiliation: Faculte des Sciences de Monastir, Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles et de Synthese Organique (99/UR/12-26), Universite de Monastir, Monastir, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Aymen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jabrane
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Jannet
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mastouri
authors.forename: Zine
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mighri
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casanova
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry*; D019661:Apiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D009822:Oils, Volatile