Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of Essential Oil from Cymbopogon nardus (Citronella Grass)

Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly
ISSN 00213551
NII recode ID (NCID) AA0068709X
Full text
37-04-07.pdf109.85 KB

The objective of this study was to elucidate the chemical composition of essential oil from Cymbopogon nardus (citronella oil) and its antifungal activity. Chemical composition of the citronella oil was determined by capillary gas chromatography (GC) and GC/ mass spectrometry. Major constituents of the oil were geraniol (35.7% of total volatiles), trans-citral (22.7%), cis-citral (14.2%), geranyl acetate (9.7%), citronellal (5.8%) and citronellol (4.6%). The antifungal assay using the vapor-agar contact method showed that the crude essential oil markedly suppressed the growth of several species of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Eurotium at a dose of 250 mg/L in air. The most active compounds among the 16 examined volatiles, consisting of 6 major constituents of the essential oil and 10 other related monoterpenes were citronellal and linalool. Citronellal and linalool completely inhibited the growth of all tested fungal strains at a dose of 112 mg/L. Their minimum inhibitory doses ranged from 14 to 56 mg/L. The α- and β- pinenes showed an inhibitory activity against some fungi, whereas the other 8 volatile compounds lacked this property.

Date of issued
Creator NAKAHARA Kazuhiko ALZOREKY Najeeb S. YOSHIHASHI Tadashi NGUYEN Huong T. T. TRAKOONTIVAKORN Gassinee
Subject

antifungal activity

Cymbopogon nardus

citronellal

linalool

mycotoxin

vapor contact

Aspergillus

Publisher Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences
Available Online
NII resource type vocabulary Journal Article
Volume 37
Issue 4
spage 249
epage 252
DOI 10.6090/jarq.37.249
Rights Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences
Language eng

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