Abstract

Samuel Ehiabhi Okhale1*, Chukkol Ismail Buba, Peters Oladosu, Ijeoma John Okoro, Grace Eyineyi Ugbabe, Jemilat Aliyu Ibrahim, Henry Omoregie Egharevba and Oluyemisi Folashade Kunle

ABSTRACT

Crinum zeylanicum (C. zeylanicum) and Crinum ornatum (C. ornatum) have long history of used as food and medicine. This study aimed to determine the chemical constituents and examine the antimicrobial effects of the volatile oils of C. zeylanicum and C. ornatum. The volatile oils of the fresh bulbs of the plants were obtained by hydrodistillation method and their chemical constituents were analyzed by means of gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The inhibitory effects of these oils were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Mycobacterium bovis BCG using micro dilution broth method. From the GCMS results, twenty seven compounds were identified for volatile oil of C.zeylanicum characterized by high amount of monoterpenes (37.59%) and non-terpenes (25.11%). The main components were (R)-(+)-citronellic acid (33.06%), citronellol (4.53%), 9-octadecenamide (3.16%) and heptadecanal (2.92%). Eleven components were identified from C. ornatum with their main constituents being non-terpenes (81.68%) and sesquiterpenes (1.62%). The main components identified were hexatriacontane (39.21%), tetracosane (17.49%), decadienal (6.29%) and decane (4.36%). The two essential oils showed significant antimicrobial effect against the test microorganisms, with minimum inhibitory concentration ranging from 100 to 25?g/ml. The result showed that essential oils of C. zeylanicum and C. ornatum comprised higher proportions of non-terpenoid and monoterpene compounds with good antimicrobial effects.