Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Coriandrum sativum

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 113; no. 2; pp. 526 - 529
• Main Authors: Matasyoh, J.C., Maiyo, Z.C., Ngure, R.M., Chepkorir, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2009; [Amsterdam]: Elsevier Science
• Subjects: alcohols; Aldehydes; antifungal properties; Antimicrobial activity; antimicrobial properties; Apiaceae; Bacillus; Candida albicans; chemical analysis; chemical constituents of plants; Coriandrum sativum; decanoic acid; distillation; Escherichia coli; Essential oils; extraction; gas chromatography; Gram-negative bacteria; Gram-positive bacteria; herbal medicines; Klebsiella; leaves; mass spectrometry; Proteus mirabilis; Pseudomonas; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Salmonella typhi; Staphylococcus aureus; Antimicrobial activity; Coriandrum sativum; Aldehydes; Apiaceae; Essential oils
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.07.097

The essential oil from leaves of
Coriandrum sativum L. (Apiaceae), obtained by hydro-distillation was analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and also evaluated for
in vitro antimicrobial activity. Out of 27 peaks, 24 components, which constitute 92.7%, were identified in the oil. The oil was dominated by aldehydes and alcohols which accounted for 56.1% and 46.3% of the oil, respectively. The major constituents were 2
E-decenal (15.9%), decanal (14.3%), 2
E-decen-1-ol (14.2%) and
n-decanol (13.6%). Other constituents present in fairly good amounts are 2
E-tridecen-1-al (6.75%), 2
E-dodecenal (6.23%), dodecanal (4.36%), undecanol (3.37%), and undecanal (3.23%). The oil was screened for antimicrobial activity against both Gram positive (
Staphylococcus aureus,
Bacillus spp.) and Gram negative (
Escherichia coli,
Salmonella typhi,
Klebsiella pneumonia,
Proteus mirabilis,
Pseudomonas aeruginosae) bacteria and a pathogenic fungus,
Candida albicans. The oil showed pronounced antibacterial and antifungal activity against all of the microbes tested, except for
P. aeruginosae, which showed resistance.