title: Volatile composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Artemisia absinthium growing in Western Ghats region of North West Karnataka, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Artemisia absinthium L. (Asteraceae) is an aromatic, herbaceous, perennial plant commonly known as wormwood. Artemisia absinthium is traditionally used as an anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic and for bacillary dysentery, cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The essential oil composition of the leaves of A. absinthium growing in the Western Ghats region of North West Karnataka, India, is investigated for the first time in this region and the oil was screened for antimicrobial properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chemical composition of the hydro-distilled essential oil obtained from the leaves of A. absinthium was analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. The oil was tested against five Gram positive and, eight Gram negative bacteria and three fungi by the tube-dilution method at a concentration range of 5000-9 µg/mL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results demonstrated that the leave oil was found to be rich in oxygenated monoterpenes (39.7% and 41.1%). The major compounds were borneol (18.7% and 16.7%), methyl hinokiate (11.9% and 12.9%), isobornyl acetate (4.0% and 4.7%), β-gurjunene (3.8% and 4.4%) and caryophyllene oxide (3.7% and 4.3%), among 64 identified compounds, comprising 91.7% and 90.1% of the total oil. The organism Micrococcus luteus was found more susceptible to the oil with an MIC value of 25 ± 4 µg/mL, followed by Micrococcus flavus, Bacillus subtilis, Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus fumigatus with MIC values of 58 ± 8, 65 ± 8, 84 ± 15 and 91 ± 13 µg/mL, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The oil showing antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi validate the traditional use of the plant as an antiseptic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Phytochemistry, Regional Medical Research Centre (ICMR), Belgaum, Karnataka, India. joshirk_natprod@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Rajesh Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Joshi
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031171:Artemisia absinthium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D007194:India; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile