The composition and anti-microbial activity of the essential oil from Eremanthus erythropappus (DC) Macleish (Candeia)

In the present study the chemical compositions of the essential oils from the fresh and dried leaves, stem and flowers of Candeia (Eremanthus erythropappus (DC) MacLeish) have been determined. The essential oils were extracted by steam distillation using a Clevenger apparatus. The oils were analyzed by direct injection of the oils into a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and by GC-MS analysis of the solid phase micro-extract of the headspace above the oils (HS-SPME). The headspaces above the in natura plant materials were also extracted and analyzed by GC-MS. The use of these three techniques increased the number of compounds identified and permitted the observation of the changes that occur in the essential oil during the process of drying the plant material. The leaves and flowers of Candeia were observed be a good source of cis-β-caryophyllene. The essential oils were tested for their potential to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) bacteria, as well as Cryptococcus neoformans (ATCC 28967), Cryptococcus gattii (ATCC32608), Candida albicans (ATCC18804), Candida glabrata (ATCC 90030), Candida krusei (ATCC 20298), Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb 18), Aspergillus fumigatus (ATCC 16913) and Trichophyton rubrum (ATCC 28189) fungi. No significant activity was observed against these species.