The essential oil of the leaves of Feronia elephantum Corr. was analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The main constituents were β-pinene (28.4%), Z-anethole (22.1%), methyl chavicol (12.0%) and E-anethole (8.1%), among thirty-three identified compounds, which represented 92.6% of the total oil. The antimicrobial activity was tested against five Gram-positive and eight Gram-negative bacteria, and four fungi. The oil was active against Micrococcus luteus (Gram-positive bacterium), Proteus mirabilis (Gram-negative bacterium), Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger (fungi) with MIC values of 0.31±0.06, 0.52±0.10, 0.20±0.50 and 0.26±0.52 mg/mL, respectively.
NigamSS, NigamSD. (1979)Studies on the essential oil F. elephantum Correa. Indian Perfumer, 23, 64-166.
5.
GargSC. (2003)Essential oil of F. elephantum Correa: A rich source of methyl chavicol. Indian Perfumer, 47, 99-101.
6.
ChaudaryJU, YusufM. (2007) Aromatic plants of Bangladesh: Constituents of leaf essential oil from Aegle marmelos and Feronia limonia. Indian Perfumer, 51, 29-30.
7.
AhmadA, MishraLN, ThakurRS. (1989)Composition of the volatile oil from F. limonia leaves. Planta Medica, 5, 55-99.
8.
WanJ, WilcockA, CoventryMJ. (1998) The effect of essential oils of basil on the growth of Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Applied Microbiology, 84, 152-158.
9.
InouyeS, YamaguchiH, TakizawaT. (2001) Screening of the antibacterial effects of variety of essential oils on respiratory tract pathogens, using a modified dilution assay method. Journal of Infection Chemotherapy, 7, 251-254.
10.
AdamsRP. (2009) Identification of Essential Oil Components by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy. Allured Publication, Carol Stream, Illinois, USA.
11.
JoshiRK. (2010) In vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil of Craniotome furcata. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 2, 57-62.
12.
PujolV, SeuxV, VillardJ. (1990) Recherche de substances antifongiques secretes par les champignons superieurs en culture. Annales Pharmaceutiques Francaises, 48, 17–22.
13.
McFarlandJ. (1987) Standardization of bacterial culture for the disc diffusion assay. Journal of American Medical Association, 49, 1176–1178.
14.
MurthyMM, SubramanyamM, GiridharKV, JettyA. (2006) Antimicrobial activities of bharangin from Premna herbaceae Roxb. and bharangin monoacetate. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 104, 290–292.
15.
JoshiRK, PandeC, MujawarMhk, KholkuteSD. (2009)Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Anaphalis nubigena var. monocephala. Natural Product Communications, 4, 993-996.
