Chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of essential oils of Endlicheria arenosa (Lauraceae) from the Amazon

Abstract

The essential oils (EOs) of leaves and twigs of Endlicheria arenosa Chanderb. were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus and the chemical composition was determined by GC and GC-MS. In total, 47 constituents were identified and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (77.6%) were the main compounds found in the leaf EO, such as bicyclogermacrene (42.2%), germacrene D (12.5%) and β-caryophyllene (10.1%). Limonene (33.2%), terpinen-4-ol (15.6%) and δ-cadinol (6.9%) were the predominant constituents in the EO of the twigs. Using the DPPH radical-scavenging method, the EO of the leaves showed the greater radical-scavenging activity (216.5 ± 11.6 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/mL compared to the EO of the twigs (122.6 ± 6.8 mg TE/mL). Also, the EO of leaves displayed promising antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (MIC 19.5 μg·mL-1). The present study is the first report about evaluation of volatile oils for this species.