Analysis and antimicrobial activity of essential oil of the leaves of Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud. W. Watson
Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud. W. Watson (Poaceae) known as Lemongrass, yields an essential oil which is used to treat headache, abdominal and muscle pains, stress, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, drowsiness and hair loss. Hydro distillation of the fresh leaves (1.5 kg) gave a pale yellow essential oil (0.5% The GLC and GC MS analysis of the oil indicated that it was composed of large amount of monoterpenes (93.4% Out of the thirteen monoterpenes, there were five alcohols (54.4% four aldehydes (31.7% one ester (0.7% and three hydrocarbons (6.7% The predominant monoterpenes characterized were geraniol (51.7% geranial (29.0% a pinene (4.8% citronellal (1.3% citronellol (1.2% myrcene (1.1% and trans verbenol (1.0% Among four identified sesquiterpenes (6.5% spathulenol (2.9% and b selinene (2.0% were the main constituents. The significant antimicrobial activities were observed with the essential oil and ethanolic extract of the leaves against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger.