Antimicrobial testinas and gas chromatoaraphic analvsis of pure oxvaenated monoterpenes 1.8-cineole, α-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol and camphor as well as target comoounds in essential oils of pine (Pinus pinaster), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

The oxygenated monoterpenes 1,8-cineole, α-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol and camphor as well as essential oils of pine, rosemary and tea tree, rich in these volatiles, were tested for their antimicrobial activities against some different strains of yeast, Gram-(-)- and Gram-(+)-bacteria by agar diffusion and agar dilution method, respectively. The same was done using the phenolic aroma compound eugenol as a reference-substance. The monoterpene alcohols a-terpineol and terpinen-4-ol were found to be active against all strains used in a wide range. The same result was obtained for the testings of essential oils of pine, rosemary (2 samples) and tea tree. Nearly all aroma chemicals and essential oils did show a significant high antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For qualitative and quantitaive investigations of the key aroma compounds and the compositions of the essential oils, gas chromatographic methods (GC-FID and GCMS with columns of different polarities) were used and the results correlated with that of the antimicrobial testings. The obtained data are discussed to get more insight into the influence of pure aroma compounds on antimicrobial activities of essential oils

Antioxidant Activity, Polyphenols Content and Antimicrobial Activity of Several Native Pteridophytes of Romania

The aim of this paper was to test the antioxidant activity, polyphenols content and antimicrobial activity of crude extracts obtained from leaves of pteridophyte species commonly found in Romania. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of the investigated ferns varied between 421.90 ?mol TE (Trolox equivalents/g FW (fresh weight) in Dryopteris filix-mas and 128.18 ?mol TE/g FW in D. affinis. Methanolic extracts obtained from leaves of ferns have similar antioxidant activity to that of some medicinal plants. Polyphenols content in the leaves of ferns varies between 2340 mg Gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g FW in D. filix-mas and 887 mg GAE/100 g FW in D. affinis. The correlation coefficient between ORAC and the total polyphenol content was R=0.985. This correlation suggests that phenolic compounds are major contributors to the antioxidant activity. The methanolic extract obtained from ferns inhibits the growth of Gram negative Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa NBJMCC1390, Salmonella abony and Gram positive Staphyllococcus aureus ATCC 25093 and Enterococcus faecalis. The highest antimicrobial activity was determined for the Dryopteris extract. The antimicrobial activity of methanolic extracts obtained from leaves of D. filix-mas and D. affinis is better than the A. filix-femina in the case of Brevibacterium flavum ATCC 14067, Sarcina sp., Bacillus cereus ATCC 1390, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger. The tested ferns could be used as cosmetic ingredients, as preservatives in food or in antimicrobial therapy