Abstract

SANCHEZ, Yaíma et al. CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF Piper auritum KUNTH (CAISIMÓN DE ANÍS). Rev. Protección Veg. [online]. 2009, vol.24, n.1, pp. 39-46. ISSN 2224-4697.

The Piper genus, belonging to the Piperaceae family, has been the objective of phytochemical and biological studies because of its several etnobotanical applications. The essential oils of Piper species have been used with many purposes. One of them is that they inhibit the growth of a large number of human, animal and plant pathogens. The aim of this work was to carry out the chemical and microbiological study of the essential oil of Piper auritum (Caisimón de anís). The composition of the essential oil of leaves and stems of this plant, obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, was researched by GC/MS. The essential oil was tested against Xanthomonas albilineans and Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae for antibacterial properties by using the agar diffusion method. The main constituent of the oil was safrole (74,29%). The bioassay showed that the essential oil had a strong bactericidal activity.

Keywords : essential oil; Piper auritum; Xanthomonas albilineans; Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )