Physico-chemical characterization and antimicrobial activity of an essential oil from the flowering umbels of wild Daucus carota L. subsp. carota growing in Algeria

ABSTRACTAromatic and medicinal plants are an important source of molecules withantimicrobial effects, particularly in their volatile extracts. Species of the genusDaucus are considered among the richest plants in secondary metabolites, suchas essential oils, which have an inhibitory effect on the development of bacterial colonies and harmful strains of fungi.Aiming at enhancing use of native plants in Algeria, we investigated essential oil from the flowering umbels of Daucus carota subsp. carota harvested in the region of Aith Laaziz (Algeria). Hydro-distillates were tested for their antimicrobial activities on bacteria and yeasts pathogenic to humans. The extraction produced a high yield of 3.65% essential oil. Analysis of the essential oil by GC (FID) and GC/MS allowed the identification of 47 compounds, four of which were predominant, represented by 53.4% of sesquiterpenes, carotol (10.38%), germacene D (9%). These secondary metabolites were shown to have moderate antimicrobial activity against B. subtilis and S. aureus, and yeast strains (C. albicans and S. cerevisiae). However, it should be noted that the MIC values are quite low (0.125-0.5%) but MBC and MFC values are average (0.5-1%).The essential oil is not very active against Gram- bacteria E.coli, P. aeruginosa and P. fluoresces where the MIC values are low (0.5 to 1%).