Abstract

The chemical composition of the volatile fractions obtained from distilled woody terminal branches and roots of Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl.) Masters was identified by Gas Chromatography- Flame ionization detectors (GC-FID) and Gas Chromatography-Coupled with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Twenty compounds represented 83.7% of the essential oil from woody terminal branches and 29.2% from the roots. Nonan-1-ol was the main constituent present in the second fraction of the essential oil from woody terminal branches with the highest percentage of 75.22. Monoterpene hydrocarbons viz: α-terpinene (3.04), δ-carene (1.17) and β-ocimene (1.09) were the main compounds. In the fourth fraction of the essential oil from roots, the major compounds detected were Bornyl acetate (16.63), Camphene (1.59) and γ-cadinene (2.86). This fraction was mainly rich in oxygenate compounds (20.25) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (6.84). Furthermore, the oils were tested for their antifungal activity against five phytopathogenic fungi. These oils from woody terminal branches and roots of T. articulata (Vahl.) Masters were found to possess antifungal activity.

Key words: Antifungal activity, Cupressaceae, essential oil, Nonan-1-ol, Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl.) Masters.