Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil of Hymenocrater calycinus (Boiss.) Benth.

The composition of the essential oil obtained from the dried aerial parts of Hymenocrater calycinus (Boiss.) Benth. (Lamiaceae) was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Sixty-seven components have been identified in the oil of H. calycinus. The major constituents of the oil were 1,8-cineole (12.2%), beta-pinene (6.3%) and alpha-pinene (5.7%). The antimicrobial activity of H. calycinus oil was studied using the disk diffusion method and determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Aspergilus niger and Candida albicans. The H. calycinus oil exhibited concentration-dependent antibacterial activity against B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli and S. typhi. The essential oil did not show antifungal activity against the tested fungi.