Chemical composition, antifungal, antibacterial, and insecticidal activity of Echinophora chrysantha essential oil

This study presents an investigation of the chemical composition and biological activities of the essential oil (EO) extracted from aerial parts of Echinophora chrysantha (EC). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of twenty-two components, representing 97.5% of the total oil. Major constituents were determined as α-phellandrene (55.74%), β-phellandrene (17.41%), and p-cymene (8.95%). The EO was screened for antimicrobial and antifungal activity against a panel of bacteria and fungi using a broth micro-dilution and fumigant activity assay, respectively. EO sample exhibited better activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus Enterococcus faecium with 31.25, 31.25, and 62.5 μg/mL MIC values. EOs showed moderate mycelium growth inhibitory activity against Phytophthora infestans (32.9±1.9%), Verticillium dahliae (42.3±1.8%), and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (53.0±2.9%) at 8 μL/petri concentration. The insecticidal activity of EO was also evaluated against two insects (Rhyzopertha dominica and Tribolium confusum) showing moderate activity with mortality rates of 25.8±0.6% and 37.9±1.2% at a 5% (v/v) concentration. Literature search has not revealed any previous work on the antimicrobial, antifungal, and insecticidal activities of the EO from E. chrysantha. In conclusion, this is the first report describing the biological activities of this plant EOs. Additionally, these findings highlight the practical implications of the utilizing essential oil of EC as a potential natural remedy against a spectrum of microbial threats in both pharmaceutical and food preservation applications. © 2024 Har Krishan Bhalla & Sons.