Full Length Research Paper

Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Origanum compactum essential oil

Bouhdid, S.¹*, Skali, S. N.¹, Idaomar, M.¹, Zhiri, A.², Baudoux, D.², Amensour, M.¹ and Abrini, J.¹

¹Laboratoire de Biologie et Santé, Equipe de Biotechnologies et Microbiologie Appliquée, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi, BP 2121 93002, Tétouan. Maroc.

²PRANAROM INTERNATIONAL S. A. 37, Avenue Des Artisans, B-7822, Ghislenghien, Belgique.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: s_bouhdid@yahoo.fr.

Accepted 13 March, 2008

In the present study, essential oil of Origanum compactum was analysed and its chemical composition was identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Among thirty two assayed constituents, carvacrol (30.53%), thymol (27.50%) and its precursor g-terpinene (18.20%) were found to be the major components. The oil was investigated for its in vitro antibacterial activity against a panel of standard reference strains using well diffusion and broth dilution methods. In solid medium, the oil was found to be remarkably active against all tested strains except Pseudomonas which showed resistance. In liquid medium the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBCs) ranged from 0.0078 to 0.25% (v/v). The antioxidant activity was investigated by three different methods; 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrasyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, β-carotene bleaching test and reducing power. The results of this study revealed evidence that the essential oil of O. compactum possesses a good antioxidant effect with all assays; the antioxidant activity is dependent on the oil concentration and can be attributed to the phenolic compounds present in the oil.

Key words: Essential oil, Origanum compactum, chemical analysis, antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity.