Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oils from Helietta apiculata Benth. (Rutaceae)

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the leaves of Helietta apiculata collected in different seasons in southern Brazil, was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectometry (GC/MS). Twenty-eight compounds were identified and limonene was the major compound found for all seasons, 29.1% (spring), 24.8% (summer), 30.2% (autumn) and 28.5% (winter). The essential oil obtained in summer and autumn yielded higher concentrations of monoterpenes, winter and spring yielded the highest concentrations of sesquiterpenes. The essential oil collected in summer and autumn showed higher activity against the bacteria tested, and the oil collected in spring was effective only against E. coli.