Composition and antimicrobial activity of the leaf essential oils of Machilus obovatifolia from Taiwan

The leaf essential oils of Machilus obovatifolia were isolated and analyzed using either the hydrodistillation or headspace-GC methods to determine their compositions and yields. Antimicrobial activities of the leaf oils obtained were also evaluated. Ninety-three compounds were identified in the hydrodistilled leaf oil, and 74 compounds were identified by the headspace-GC and GC/MS method, respectively. The main components of the oils were β-caryophyllene (10.5%), β-phellandrene (7.8%), τ-muurolol (5.3%), α-phellandrene (5.1%), and δ-cadinene (5.0%). The leaf oils had exhibited excellent antimicrobial activities.