Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Potential of Essential Oil of Ziziphus spina-christi var. aucheri Grown Wild in Iran

Nowadays, medicinal plants are considered as a valuable source of natural compounds used in the development of antimicrobial and antioxidant drugs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Ziziphus spina-christi var. aucheri (Boiss.) Qaiser & Nazim. essential oil. Essential oil was obtained by hydro-distillation using Clevenger type apparatus during approximately ۳ hours and analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Eleven components were identified in Z. spina-christivar. aucheri essential oil that represented ۹۲.۱۴% of the oil. The main components of the oil were Carotol (۴۲.۲۰%), hexadecanoic acid (۱۳.۷۵%), linoleic acid (۱۱.۷۶%), vetivenic acid (۹.۵۶%) and (-)(+)valeranone (۷.۰۶%). Antioxidant activity of the essential oil was performed using ۱,۱-diphenyl–۲– picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ribosomal degradation assay (HRS). Antimicrobial activity was investigated by micro broth dilution method. The antioxidant activity of Z. aucheri was IC۵۰ = ۵۳.۹۱ ± ۲.۴۳۱ and showed only by DPPH method. The oil had antimicrobial activity in low concentrations against Aspergillusniger, Penicillium digitatum and Klebsiella pneumonia.

Keywords:

Ziziphus aucheri Boiss , GC/ MS , DPPH , HRS , Antioxidant , Serial dilution method