Composition and antimicrobial activities of volatile components of Lippia javanica

Nkhumeleni Jeoffrey Manenzhe, Natasha Potgieter and Teunis van Ree

The volatile oil of Lippia javanica was prepared by hydrodistillation of leaves, flowers and stems, and characterized by GC–MS. The major component was 3-methyl-6-(1-methylethylidene)-cyclohex-2-en-1-one (piperitenone). The oil was tested for antimicrobial activity on cultures of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, and found to inhibit E. coli and S. aureus at 1% dilution. The oil was also active against Plasmodium falciparum in micromolar concentrations.

Volatile components of L. javanica:

tR (min:s)

Identification

Percentage of total oil

14:58

Limonene

1.6

21:05

Linalool

1.8

28:37

o-Isopropenylanisole

9.7

29:27

α-Terpineol

0.8

31:27

Z-Ocimenone

3.9

36:37

Piperitenone

74.4

40:36

β-Caryophyllene

1.0

 

 

 

 


1