Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the inflorescence essential oil of Capillipedium parviflorum (R. Br.) Stapf. from India

Essential oil isolated from the inflorescences of Capillipedium parviflorum (R. Br.) Stapf., collected from Kumaon region of Western Himalaya, India, was investigated by GC and GC-MS. A total of 45 constituents representing 99.0% of the essential oil were identified. The major components of this oil were 4-undecanone (33.2%), 4-undecanol (29.7%), 4-nonanol (13.9%), alpha-muurolol (5.3%), 4-tridecanone (3.6%), methyl-2-oxo-nonanoate (3.1%), trans-2-hexenyl butanoate (1.1%) and 1-tetradecanol (1.0%). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was determined against eight Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, as well as two fungal strains. The bioassay showed that the essential oil possessed good antibacterial activity.