Phytochemical composition of the essential oils from three Apiaceae species and their antibacterial effects on food-borne pathogens

Essential oils (EOs) of three Apiaceae species. including Bunium persicum, Cuminum cyminum and Carum copticum, extracted by hydrodistillation, were analyzed by gas chromatography (CC) and GC/mass spectrometry. The main components of EOs of B. persicum were gamma-terpinene (44.2%), cuminaldehyde (16.9%). gamma-terpinen-7-al (10.5%), and rho-cymene (8%). The major constituents of Cu. cyminum were cuminaldehyde (30.2%), rho-cymene (14.1%),,gamma-terpinene (12.8%), and safranal (9.4%), while those of Ca. copticum were thymol (48.4%), rho-cymene (21.8%) and gamma-terpinene (21.3%). The antibacterial effects of the EOs were assessed on several food-borne pathogens, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli 01 57:H7. Salmonella enteritidis, and Listeria monocytogenes. The ranges of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the oils were 0.03-0.5, 0.18-3.0, and 0.37-3.0 mg/ml, respectively, for Ca. copticum, B. persicum and Cu. cyminum. Moreover, the combination of B. persicum and Cu. cyminum EOs confirmed synergistic and additive activities against the pathogens. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.