Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of Volatile Constituents from Fresh Fruits of and .

Bacterial resistance has been increasingly reported worldwide and is one of the major causes of failure in the treatment of infectious diseases. Natural-based products, including plant secondary metabolites (phytochemicals), can be exploited to ameliorate the problem of microbial resistance. The fruit essential oils of and were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oils were subjected to antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activity screening. Thirty-eight compounds comprising 97.7% of oil and forty-six constituents representing 98.2% of oil were identified. The major components in oil were methyl salicylate (25.3%), citronellol (21.4%), α-phellandrene (7.4%), terpinolene (5.7%) and 1,8-cineole (5.5%). Benzaldehyde (28.0%), β-caryophyllene (15.5%), (,)-α-farnesene (5.3%) and methyl salicylate (4.5%) were the quantitatively significant constituents in fruit essential oil. essential oil demonstrated potent antibacterial activity against (MIC = 78 μg/mL) and marginal antifungal activity against (MIC = 156 μg/mL). showed antibacterial activity against and (MIC = 156 μg/mL) and notable antifungal activity against (MIC = 39 μg/mL). However, no appreciable cytotoxic effects on human breast carcinoma cells (Hs 578T) and human prostate carcinoma cells (PC-3) were observed for either essential oil. The antimicrobial activities of and fruit essential oils are a function of their distinct chemical profiles; their volatiles and biological activities are reported for the first time.