Chemical composition and in vitro evaluation of antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxicity and anti-acetylcholinesterase properties of Tunisian Origanum majorana L. essential oil

• DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2016.03.003
• Publication Date: 2016-03-17T09:47:21Z
• Authors: Hafedh Hajlaoui; Hedi Mighri; Mahjoub Aouni; Néji Gharsallah; Adel Kadri
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Microbial Viability; Bacteria; Cell Survival; Phytochemicals; Fungi; Antineoplastic Agents; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; beta Carotene; Antioxidants; 3. Good health; Inhibitory Concentration 50; 03 medical and health sciences; Anti-Infective Agents; Cell Line, Tumor; Origanum; Acetylcholinesterase; Oils, Volatile; Animals; Humans; Oxidation-Reduction

This study investigated the chemical composition and evaluated the antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and anti-acetylcholinesterase properties of Tunisian Origanum majorana essential oil. The findings showed that the oil exhibited high activity, particularly in terms of reducing power and β-Carotene bleaching, inducing higher IC50 values than BHT. The oil showed an important antimicrobial activity against 25 bacterial and fungal strains. In fact, the IZ, MIC and MBC values recorded for the bacterial strains were in the range of 8 ± 0-18.33 ± 0.57 mm, 0.097-3.125 and 0.39-6.25 mg/mL, respectively. The IZ, MIC and MFC values of the fungal strains varied between 11±0-28 ± 0 mm, 0.058-0.468 mg/mL and 0.234-1.875 mg/mL, respectively. A low cytotoxic effect was observed against cancer (Hep-2 and HT29) and continuous cell lineage (Vero), with CC50 values ranging from 13.73 to 85.63 mg/mL. The oil was also evaluated for anti-acetylcholinesterase effects, which showed that it exhibited significant activity with IC50 values reaching 150.33 ± 2.02 μg/mL.