Phytochemical, antibacterial and antioxidant properties of Cuminum Cyminum L. essential oil

Essential oils and herbal extracts from medicinal plants as a source of natural antioxidants, antimicrobial, anticancer and biologically active compounds have attracted a great deal of interesting applications in fresh and processed food preservation, pharmaceuticals, alternative medicine and natural-based therapies. In the present study, phytochemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial properties of Cuminum Cyminum L. essential oil have been evaluated. Antibacterial properties were evaluated by standard Microplate serial dilution method. Antioxidant activity was evaluated through DPPH assay and â-carotene/linoleic acid assay. The chemical analysis of the essential oil by Gas chromatography/ mass spectrophotometer (GC/MS) showed that cuminaldehyde (29.02%) was the major compound. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of the essential oil were 37.5-9600 and 150-9600 ìg/ml, respectively. S.aureus and Escherichia coli were the most sensitive and the most resistant to the essential oil, respectively. This essential oil was able to reduce the stable free radical DPPH with an IC50 of 2.13 ìg/ml. In â-carotene/linoleic acid assay, the essential oil was not effectively able to inhibit the linoleic acid oxidation, exhibiting had only 58% inhibitions at 2 mg/ml. These results indicate that this essential oil has a high potential of antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Therefore, it can be suggested to combine this essential oil with other agents for the preservation of foods against pathogenic and toxigenic microorganisms.