Major Constituents, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. Essential Oil

Chemical compositions, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Zanthoxylum armatum essential oil was analyzed. A total of 3 samples (500 g/each) were collected at 6:00 am; 12:00 noon; and 6:00 pm in the same day. The essential oil was extracted by hydro distillation in Clevenger apparatus and their chemical compositions were determined by the GC-MS system. The eleven most abundant ingredients were bornyl acetate (16.61-22.66%), cymene (8.25-12.50%), α-copaene (7.54-7.59%), γ-terpinene (5.33-7.66%), camphene (4.32-4.66%), limonene (2.66-4.68%), linalool (3.28-3.58%), β-ocimene (3.24-3.36%), transcaryophyllene (2.54-3.46%), α-terpinolene (2.32-3.36%) and germacrene (2.02-2.85%). Antioxidant activity was examined by 2, 2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. Ascorbic acid was used as standard. Essential oil exhibited significant antioxidant activity. The IC50 of the oil was found 27.0± 0.1 μg/ml and that of ascorbic acid 15.0± 0.5 μg/ml. Essential oil of Z. armatum also exhibited moderate antibacterial activity. The results showed that the gram-positive bacteria are more sensitivity to the essential oil than gram negative bacteria.