Antibacterial and antifungal activities of volatile oils from Zanthoxylum rhoifolium leaves

Abstract

The volatile oil extracted from Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam (Rutaceae) leaves was tested to verify its antimicrobial activity efficacy against six types of different high-virulent Gram-negative bacteria isolated from clinical material and against three different types of fungi (two yeast and a filamentous one). Some results were different from those observed in the literature, and these differences might have occurred due to seasonal, geographic, or nutritional variations of the plants. Nevertheless, the volatile oil was found to be very efficient against Salmonella enteritidis and Shigella sonnei, bacteria responsible for diarrhea and for a huge number of deaths. Regarding the fungi, a great capacity of the volatile oil in inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus flavus was found, although it does not affect Candida tropicalis and Candida guilliermondii growth. © 2006 Informa Healthcare.