Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Chenopodium botrys L. Essential Oil

Chemical compositions of hydrodistilled essential oil from flowering aerial parts of Chenopodium botrys L. were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Antimicrobial activity of essential oil was screened against different kinds of microorganisms by disc diffusion and micro broth dilution assays. Forty-three components were identified accounted for over 98 % of the total oil. 2,3-dehydro-4-oxo-beta-lonone (22.4 %), (+)-7-epi-amiteol (11.5 %) were found as the major components of the oil. The essential oil showed strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus saprophyticus followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mutans, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium. The oil had slight effect on Candida albicans and showed inhibitory effect on Aspergillus species and Bacillus subtilis.