Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of Callistemon pinifolius and C. salignus leaf essential oils from the Northern plains of India

Abstract

Biological and chemical investigations were carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of Callistemon pinifolius and C. salignus leaf oils for herbal medicines. Disk diffusion and micro broth dilution methods were used for the evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils against selected strains of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes and Escherichia coli) and fungi (Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton rubrum, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, and Sporothrix schenckii ). Analysis of the leaf essential oil of C. pinifolius and C. salignus using GC and GC-MS resulted in the identification of fifty five and fifty one compounds, respectively. 1,8-Cineole (39.1% and 40.8%), α-pinene (26.7% and 24.2%), and (E)-β-terpineol (9.6% and 13.5%), were the major constituents. The isolated essential oils could be of use for the future development of antimicrobial agents.