Chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from the leaves of Macleaya cordata (Willd) R. Br.
The essential oil from the leaves of Macleaya cordata R.Br. obtained by hydrodistillation was analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Sixty-eight compounds consisting of up to 92.53% of the essential oil were identified. Antioxidant activities of the essential oil were evaluated by using DPPH radical scavenging and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays. The essential oil showed moderate antioxidant activity. In addition, the essential oil exhibited potential antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms, with diameters of inhibition zones ranging from 8.7 ± 0.5 to 17.2 ± 1.2 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration values from 125 to 500 μg/mL. We selected the most sensitive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus as model to observe of the action of essential oils of M. cordata on the membrane structure by scanning electron microscopy. The treated cell membranes were damaged severely. The results presented here indicate that the essential oil of M. cordata may be potential sources of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in the future.
a Center for Research and Development of Fine Chemicals, Guizhou University , Guiyang 550025 , P.R. China.|b Institute of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Guizhou University , Guiyang 550025 , P.R. China.
Chun-Mei
CM
Li
c Quality Supervision and Measure Station, Tobacco Company of Guizhou Province , Guiyang 550025 , P.R. China.
Xiao-Yong
XY
Yang
c Quality Supervision and Measure Station, Tobacco Company of Guizhou Province , Guiyang 550025 , P.R. China.
Yi-Rong
YR
Zhong
a Center for Research and Development of Fine Chemicals, Guizhou University , Guiyang 550025 , P.R. China.|b Institute of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Guizhou University , Guiyang 550025 , P.R. China.
Jian-Ping
JP
Yu
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002681:China; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry*; D028101:Papaveraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts
Macleaya cordata; antimicrobial activity; antioxidant activity; chemical composition; essential oil