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Phytoconstituents and biological activities of essential Oil
from Rhus lancea L. F
M. Gundidza1,
N. Gweru2, V. Mmbengwa3, N.
J. Ramalivhana4, Z. Magwa5 and A.
Samie6*
1School
of therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical
School, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South
Africa.
2Department of Pharmacy, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP
167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
3Department
of Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology, University
of South Africa, Private bag X6, Florida, Johannesburg,
South Africa.
4College
of agriculture and life sciences, University of South
Africa, Private bag X6, Florida, Johannesburg, South Africa.
5Department
of Botany and Electron Microscope Unit, University of Fort
Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, Eastern Cape, South
Africa.
5Department
of Microbiology, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950,
South Africa.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
samieamidou@yahoo.com.
Tel: +27159628186.
Accepted 2 May, 2008 |
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The present study determined the major
phytoconstituents, the antioxidant and the antimicrobial
activities of Rhus lancea essential oil against eight
bacterial and four fungal species. The yield was 0.18% and
the major phytoconstituents found were
µ-pinene,
benzene and
d-3-carene.
The oil exhibited remarkable anti-oxidant and dose dependent
antibacterial and antifungal activities with highest
activities against Escherichia coli, Clostridium
perfringens and Aspergillus flavus. To the best
of our knowledge this is the first report on the
antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from this
plant. Further studies are warranted to test the toxicity
and the suitability of this essential oil for pharmaceutical
and other uses.
Key words:
Antibacterial, antifungal, anti-oxidant, medicinal plant,
essential oil, phytochemicals. |
