title: Chemical composition and antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities of the flower oil of Retama raetam (Forssk.) Webb from Tunisia.
abstract: The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from the flowers of Retama raetam (Forssk.) Webb cultivated in Tunisia was determined by GC and GC/MS analysis. A total of 50 components representing 98.58% of the oil were identified: nonanal (35.75%), alpha-humulene (29.29%), acetaldehyde (7.84%), linalool (5,62%), myrcene (3.38%), tridecanal (2.21%), beta-caryophyllene (1.79%), alpha-terpinyl acetate (1.46%), terpinolene (1.26%) and methyl anthranilate (1.06%) were found to be the major components. The oil was evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activities using a microdilution assay against some bacteria and yeasts. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the essential oil varied between 0.625 and 5 mg mL(-1) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were superior to 5 mg mL(-1) of oil for most strains. The antioxidant potential of the essential oil was evaluated using the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging method. The essential oil possesses good antioxidant properties (IC(50) = 0.800 mg mL(-1)). The results may suggest that the flower oil of R. raetam possesses compounds with antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant capacities, and thus the oil can be explored as a natural preservative ingredient in food and/or pharmaceutical preparations.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Maladies Transmissibles et des Substances Biologiquement Actives, Faculte de Pharmacie, Monastir, Tunisia. hayetjaziri@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Hayet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Edziri
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mastouri
authors.forename: Imed
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cheraif
authors.forename: Mahjoub
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aouni
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010851:Picrates; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D010851:Picrates; D010938:Plant Oils; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl