CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF ARTEMISIA HERBA-ALBA ASSO., ASTERACEAE

Essential oil (E.O.) of Artemisia herba-alba Asso. (Asteraceae) known as Shih, growing wild in Hermel (Lebanon) was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-Mass spectrometry (MS). The results were α-Pinene (45.89%) followed by Borneol (11.3%), 1,8-Cineole (10.8%), Terpineol (6.45%), Camphene (3.94%), γ-Terpinene (3.2%), α-Terpinene (2.72%), (+)-4-Carene (2.2%). The antimicrobial activities of E.O. from Artemisia herba-alba Asso were evaluated against five bacteria and two fungi strains by disc diffusion method and microdilution method. Among Gram positive bacteria growths, S. aureus was shown to be more sensitive (90 mm) E. faecalis (25 mm). On the other hand, three different Gram negative bacterial strains were tested,S. enteritidis showed maximum zone of inhibition (40 mm), followed by E. coli (26 mm) and P. aeruginosa (25 mm) respectively. Theinhibition zones displayed by fungalstrains tested were40 mm and 30 mm for C. albicansand A. fumigatus, respectively. The results of the study showed an interesting antimicrobial profile which could provide promising pharmaceutical and economic benefits of the potential use of the plant essential oils. The present investigation supported the traditional use of Artemisia herba-alba in the Lebanese folk medicine as an antimicrobial active representative of the genus Artemisia. Artemisia herba-albaextracts should be further studied for their potential use in preventing / treating diseases cited in the traditional Lebanese medicine.