Chemical composition and antimicrobial action of the essential oils of Salvia desoleana and S-sclarea

The chemical composition of the essential oils of Salvia desoleana Atzei & Picci and Salvia sclarea L. from Sardinia (Italy) was analysed by GC and GC /MS. S. desoleana oil had a high content of monoterpenic esters (linalyl ac etate and alpha-terpinyl acetate) and a lower amount of the corresponding a lcohols while S. sclarea oil was characterised by a higher content of alcoh ols and lower quantity of esters. We studied the antimicrobial activity of these oils concerning their use in pharmaceutical preparations for local ap plication. Only weak microbiostatic inhibitory activity was seen against S. aureus, E. coli, S. epidermidis and C. albicans, but since inhibition incr eased progressively with contact time, better results could be obtained by using these oils in bioadhesive formulations that would also have anti-infl ammatory and peripheral analgesic action at a local level, as demonstrated in experimental animals following systemic application.