Composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Crithmum maritimum L. (Apiaceae) growing wild in Turkey

The essential oil from aerial parts of Crithmum maritimum L. (Apiaceae) gro wing wild in Antalya and Mersin, Turkey, was isolated by hydrodistillation and obtained in a yield of 0.17 and 0.19% (v/f w), respectively. The oil co mposition was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Nineteen and twenty one compounds, accounting for 98 and 97% of the oils, were identified. The former oil was characterized by a high content of beta -phellandrene (30%) and thymol meth yl ether (25%), the latter by gamma -terpinene (24%) and dill-apiole (21%). Evaluation of the antibacterial activity showed that the oils have a simil ar, appreciable activity, mostly against Gram + bacteria. Copyright (C) 200 0 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.