Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Essential Oil from Cymbopogon proximus: In vitro, and in vivo Studies

This study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial, and in vivo anti-inflammatory properties of Cymbopogon proximus essential oil (CEO). CEO was evaluated for antimicrobial activity against selected strains of bacteria and fungus by disc diffusion method. CEO was also investigated in vivo for anti-inflammatory activity using carrageenan-induced paw edema in albino rats. The antimicrobial test results revealed that the CEO strongly inhibited the growth of the tested bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria were more susceptible than Gram-negative. CEO also showed good anti-inflammatory activity in rats. GC-MS analysis of the tested CEO was investigated to detect phytochemical components in oil fraction with potent biological activities. Overall, 23 chemical compounds, representing 94.12 % of oil, were detected by GC-MS analysis with piperitone (45.11%) as a principal component. The tested CEO can be explored as a good source for oxygenated monoterpenes with valuable antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties having a promising pharmaceutical application with appreciable effect on the arachidonic metabolism or modulating cytokines production.