Abstract:
The antimicrobial effects of essential oil isolated from Myrtus communis L. against Escherichia
coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
Klebsiella pneumoniaee, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Candida albicans and Saccharomyces
cerevisiae were studied. The disc diffusion method was used to evaluate the
zone of microbial growth inhibition at various concentrations of the oil. The minimal Inhibitory
Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of the oil
were determined. The oil was found to have an antimicrobial effect. Kinetics of microbial
destruction exhibited that the oil could kill microorganisms within 45 minutes of exposure.
GC and GC/MS analysis of the oil revealed 32 components. The major components
were α-Pinene (29.4%), Limonene (21.2%), 1,8-Cineole (18%), Linalool (10.6%), Linalyl
acetate (4.6%) and α-Terpineole (3.1%). The high monoterpenes hydrocarbons such as α-
Pinene and Limonene seem to contribute to the strong antimicrobial activity of Myrtus
communis L. Further research on antimicrobial effects of essential oils with a view to substituting
the common chemical compounds is promising.
