Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Essential Oil of Schinus Molle L. From Southwest of Algeria

This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial potential of Schinus molle essential oil in southwest Algeria. The antioxidant activity of the essential oil was assessed using the DPPH free radical scavenging method, while the antibacterial activity was determined using the disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains, with chloramphenicol as the positive control.The results showed that the Schinus molle oil exhibited a high antioxidant potential, with 50% free radical inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 0.41 mg/ml. Additionally, the oil demonstrated potent antibacterial properties against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and weaker activity against Gram-negative Escherichia coli. These findings suggest that the essential oil of Schinus molle possesses promising biological potential, warranting further research into compounds derived from this species for the development of new antimicrobial drugs