Effet de la distillation fractionnée sur la composition chimique et l'activité antimicrobienne des huiles essentielles du Myrte (Myrtus communis L.) du Maroc

Abstract

The essential oil extracted from Moroccan Myrtle and fractions obtained by fractional distillation were analysed by chromatographic methods (GC and GC/MS). Moroccan Myrtle essential oil was found to contain α-pinene (10%), 1,8-cineole (43%) and myrtenyl acetate (25%) as major components. The rectification of Myrtle oil gives four principal fractions. The first was rich in α-pinene (42–54.8%) and 1,8-cineole (27–53.6%), the second fraction in 1,8-cineole (83–95.8%), the third in myrtenyl acetate (36–55%) and 1,8-cineole (12–36%) and the fourth in myrtenyl acetate (62–65%). The fractional distillation improves the quality of essential oil. An antimicrobial activity test carried out with principal fractions of the essential oil showed that the activity was mainly observed in third fraction containing α-terpineol and myrtenol, in particular, and 1,8-cineole. © 2006, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.