Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil and Solvent Extracts of Torch Ginger Inflorescence (Etlingera elatior Jack.)

摘要

The chemical constituents of essential oil extracted from the young inflorescence of torch ginger plant by hydrodistillation method using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was analyzed. Additionally, the extracted essential oil and the crude solvent extracts (distilled water, absolute ethanol, and 50% ethanol) of the inflorescence were screened for their potential antimicrobial activities. Both the essential oil and solvent extracts exhibited antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes ). Bacillus subtilis was found to be more susceptible to torch ginger inflorescence essential oil (MIC, 0.78 mg/ml) compared to others under study. Of the Gram-negative bacteria screened, only Klebsiella pneumoniae was susceptible to the essential oil (MIC, 1.56) and solvent extracts (MIC, 3.1 and 1.6 for water and 50% ethanol, respectively). However, neither the essential oil nor the extracts exhibited any activities against the screened fungi or yeasts. The results obtained clearly indicated that the oil and extracts derived from the inflorescence of torch ginger has rich antibacterial activity and possess great potential to be used as a preservative in the food and pharmaceutical industries.