Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of the Essential oil of Harungana madagascariensis Lam. Ex Poiret (Hypericaceae)

Abstract

Essential oils derived from aromatic plants are highly sought after due to their many biological properties. This is the case with Harungana madagascariensis, a plant widely used in traditional African medicine for various indications such as malaria, dysentery, and anemia. The aim of this study is to promote this Ivorian species. The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to identify and quantify the volatile constituents. For antioxidant activity, the DPPH test was performed on the extract. The antibacterial activity was tested on 13 reference strains using the liquid dilution method at the Pasteur Institute laboratory in Ivory Coast. The chemical composition showed that this oil is rich in hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes (74.31%). It is dominated by β-caryophyllene (18.82%). The yield is 0.01%±0. The study reveals that this oil has strong anti-radical activity (CR50 = 0.051±0.01 mg/mL; vit C: CR50 = 0.016±0.089 mg/mL). The antibacterial test shows that Acinetobacter baumanii, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter cloaceae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli 466 were sensitive to the extract. Bactericidal activity (CMB/CMI = 1) was demonstrated against these bacterial strains.