Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Guarea cedrata (A. Chev.) Pellegr. Leaf and Root Bark Essential Oil

Aims: This study aims, on the one hand, to establish the chemical composition and to evaluate the antioxidant potential of essential oils (EO) of Guarea cedrata leaves and root bark, and on the other hand, to determine the antimicrobial activity of the leaf EO.

Methodology: The EOs were analyzed by a combination of GC (Ir), GC-MS and 13C NMR. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of the essential oils was determined and then the antioxidant activity was also evaluated.

Results: 40 hydrocarbon (19.8%) and oxygenated (73.3%) sesquiterpenes were identified from root bark EO, representing 93.1% of the total composition, and 55 compounds were identified from leaf EO, representing 91.5% of the total composition, with 58.1% sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, 32.4% oxygenated sesquiterpenes and 1.0% hydrocarbon monoterpenes. An evaluation of the antioxidant potential of these EOs revealed moderate free radical scavenging activity of G. cedrata leaf EO compared to quercetin. Leaf EO tested on bacteria and yeast showed bacteriostatic activity against bacterial strains of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans at a concentration of 6.3 mg/ml and bactericidal activity at a concentration of 50 mg/ml.

Conclusion: This study highlighted the chemical composition, the antiradical and biological activity of the essential oils of two organs (leaf and trunk bark) organs of G. cedrata.