Essential Oil and Antimicrobial Activity of Aerial Parts of Cyperus leavigatus L. (Family: Cyperaceae)

The essential oil of the aerial parts of Cyperus leavigatus L. was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Sixty Six compounds were identified in the essential oil representing 92.92 % of the total mass. Terpenes represent the major constituents (77.78 %), including monoterpenes (47.63 %), sesquiterpenes (21.49 %), and diterpenes (8.36 %). The major chemical constituents of the oil were found to be hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (19.13 %), Z-myroxide (8.14 %), phytol (6.96 %), limonene (6.74 %), E-myroxide (M) (6.72 %), and cis-carveol (5.56 %). The essential oil, the total and n-butanol extracts showed moderate antimicrobial activity in vitro against gram positive bacteria and yeast with MIC ranging from 100-250 mu g/disc. Additionally, the ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts revealed strong antimicrobial activities against gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and the yeast, Candida albicans (10-20 mu g/disc), along with a moderate antimicrobial activity against the gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC 100-500 mu g/disc) in comparison with the positive controls thiamphenicol and nystatin.