title: Chemical composition, antimicrobial properties and toxicity evaluation of the essential oil of Cupressus lusitanica Mill. leaves from Cameroon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The leaves of Cupressus lusitanica Mill. are used in the western highlands of Cameroon for their medicinal property.
  
  
  METHODS
  The leaves of this species were collected in the West Region of Cameroon in August 2010 and subjected to hydrodistillation to obtain the essential oil. The oil was fractionated using adsorption column chromatography. The chemical composition of this oil and its fractions was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oil and fractions were tested for antimicrobial activity against eight bacterial species and six species of Candida by the agar diffusion method. Macrodilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal and/or fungicidal concentrations (MBCs and MFCs). The toxicity profile of the oil was studied using Swiss mice and Wistar albino rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine compounds were identified in the essential oil. The main components were germacrene D (18.5%), epi-zonarene (8.2%), cis-calamenene (8.2%), terpinen-4-ol (6.3%), linalool (6.0%) and umbellulone (6.0%). Enterococcus faecalis, Proteus mirabilis and Candida albicans were most susceptible to the oil (MICs of 1.25 and 0.16% for bacteria and fungi respectively). The estimated oral LD50 was 6.33 g/kg. There was an increase in sera ALT and AST activities while the blood cells and protein levels decreased in treated animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained from this study support the ethnomedicinal use of C. lusitanica leaf oil in the treatment of whooping cough and skin infections though it should be used with care. This plant oil could be useful in the standardisation of phytomedicine.
authors.forename: Gerald Ngo
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Teke
authors.forename: Kemadjou Nana
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Elisée
authors.forename: Kuiate Jules
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Roger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002163:Cameroon; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects*; D029781:Cupressus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils