Essential Oil Chemical Composition of Myrtle Growing in Northeastern Algeria and Estimation of its Antibacterial Effectiveness

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the antibacterial effectiveness of leaves essential oil extracted from myrtle growing in Algeria. A cluster analysis of soil and water was effectuated for performing chemical and granulometric analyses. The essential oil was isolated from leaves by hydro distillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The leaves yield reached a peak at the flowering stage (1.14%) and a minimum in the fruiting time (0.6%). Several compounds in the leaf essential oil were characterized including 49 components. The major compounds of the oil are α-pinene (55%), 1,8-cineole (33,42%) and limonene (33,42%). The effect of essential oil and specific antibiotics was investigated in vitro against twenty Gram-negative bacteria. The essential oil effect was colicidal with best inhibition zone (35 mm). This study showed that the myrtle essential oil in relation with the chemical composition of soil give a promising perspective for the production of essential oils with constant composition and specific activities.