Antifungal Properties and Chemical Analysis of Essential Oil from Vitex negundo Seeds

Aims: To investigate the constituents and antimicrobial activity of essential oil from Vitex negundo seeds. Study Design: The essential oil of Vitex negundo seeds was prepared by hydrodistillation. GC/MS technique was used to determine the volatile constituents in the oil. A total of 13 isolates of bacteria and fungi were employed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the oil. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, between April 2010 and September 2010. Methodology: Essential oil from Vitex negundo seeds were obtained by hydrodistillation, with constituents analyzed by GC-MS. Antimicrobial activity of the oil was evaluated against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. Results: A total of forty-two components, representing 91.36% of the oil, were identified. n-Hexadecanoic acid (17.68%), eudesm-4(14)-en-11-ol (12.39%) and caryophyllene oxide (10.79%) were found to be the major constituents. The essential oil exhibited significant antifungal activity against Candida albicans at MIC 4.0 mu g/ml. Conclusion: The essential oil of Vitex negundo seeds showed potential antifungal activity and can be of potential use in pharmaceutical fields.