Chemical compounds and antimicrobial activity of petitgrain (Citrus aurantium L. var. amara) essential oil

Summary Introduction: Due to its low cost and easy availability on the market, the petitgrain oil is commonly used in food, cosmetics, and aromatherapy. Objective: The examination of chemical composition and antibacterial activity of commercial petitgrain oil. Methods: Identification of chemical components of the petitgrain oil was performed by gas chromatography (GC). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations (MBC/MFC) were determined using macrodilution method for the reference strains of bacteria and fungi. Results: Twenty components were identified. The petitgrain oil contained mostly oxygenated monoterpene hydrocarbons (98.01%), and the main components included linalyl acetate (48.06%) and linalool (26.88%). The MIC/MBC of the petitgrain oil for bacteria was in the range of 0.63-5.0/1.25-5.0 mg/ml and for fungi in the range of 1.25-40/5.0-80 mg/ml. Conclusion: The petitgrain oil had higher antibacterial activity than antifungal activity. Bacillus subtilis among the tested bacteria and Aspergillus niger and Penicillium expansum among the fungi were found to be highly inhibited by the petitgrain oil.