Identification of volatile components in Phyllanthus emblica L. and their antimicrobial activity.

The volatile components and in vitro antimicrobial activities of Emblica (Phyllanthus emblica L.) essential oils (EOs) obtained by hydrodistillation (HD-EO) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE-EO) were investigated. The compositions of volatile compounds in these oils were tentatively determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The antimicrobial activites of these two extracts were investigated with microbiological tests against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and three pathogenic fungi. The main components of both oils were beta-caryophyllene, beta-bourbonene, 1-octen-3-ol, thymol, and methyleugenol. Both essential oils showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against all the tested microorganisms. Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to the investigated oils than Gram-negative bacteria. SFE-EO exhibited a higher antifungal activity compared to HD-EO.