Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Tanacetum cadmeum (Boiss.) heywood subsp orientale grierson

Abstract

Water distilled essential oil of aerial parts of Tanacetum cadineum (Boiss.) Heywood subsp. orientale Grierson (Asteraceae) was analyzed by GC and GC/MS methods. Ninety three compounds have been characterized representing 97.8% of the oil. 1,8-Cineole (1.8.9%), p-cymene (15.7%), terpinen-4-ol (14.8%), borneol (9.8%) and gamma-terpinene (3.5%) were found to be the major constituents of the oil. Antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested via micro-dilution broth method. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus epidemidis, Candida albicans were used as the test microorganisms.