Phytochemical and antibacterial evaluation of essential oils from Ottonia martiana Miq. (Piperaceae)

Abstract

Three essential oils extracted from leaves, fruits and roots of Ottonia martiana Miq. (Piperaceae), common species in Brazilian Rain Forest, known as "anestésia", were analyzed by GC-MS and tested in an antibacterial assay against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Pseudomonas aerogenes (ATCC 27853) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). Seventy-seven compounds were identified and submitted to a comparative analysis, which revealed variability on the amount of principal components of these oils (spathulenol, caryophyllene oxide, (E)-nerolidol, viridiflorol, β-caryophyllene, δ cadinene and alloaromadendrene). Inhibition zones of bacterial growth in the bioautograms (Rfs 0.29 and 0.34) showed antimicrobial activity of essential oils against tested Gram-positive bacteria and permitted to identify some bioactive components. ©2007 Sociedade Brasileira de Química.