<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Diversity in <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oils of wild populations of <i>myrtle</i> from natural habitats in Southwestern Iran</span></span>

Abstract

<i>Myrtle</i>,<i> Myrtus communis</i> L. is a native plant in Iran, which has been used as astringent, good hair condition, bronchodilator and, remediation for skin and digestive discords in Iranian folk medicine. Wild populations of <i>M. communis</i> collected from Khuzestan and Lorestan Provinces, Southwest Iran, were examined for antibacterial activity and chemical variability in leaves. The <i>in-vitro</i> antibacterial activity against four pathogens (<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Streptococcus faecalis, </i>and<i> Escherichia coli</i>) was performed by agar disc diffusion and <span style="mso-bidi-font-family:" times="" new="" roman""="" lang="HI">‎micro-dilution assays.<b><i> </i></b>The essential oils of <i>M. communis</i> had strong antibacterial activity <span style="mso-bidi-language:FA" lang="EN-GB">against four pathogens<i> </i>in both assays<i>. </i>The results indicated that the major components of the oil were α-pinene (22.3-55.2%), 1,8-cineole (8.7-43.8%), and linalool (6.4-14.5%). <span style="mso-bidi-language:FA" lang="EN-GB">The inhibition zones and MIC values for bacterial strains which were sensitive to the essential oils of <i>M. communis</i> <span style="mso-bidi-language:FA" lang="EN-GB">were in the range of 14.5–35.0 mm, and 0.031-0.50 mg/ml, respectively. This study demonstrates

that products with valuable antibacterial activity can be produced from leaves of <i>M. communis </i>against <i>K. pneumoniae, E. rhusiopathiae, S. faecalis </i>and<i> E. coli.</i>

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