Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Anaphalis nubigena var. monocephala.

The essential oil composition of the aerial parts of Anaphalis nubigena DC. var. monocephala (DC.) C. B. Clarke collected from Pindari glacier at a height of 3300 m, was analyzed by using GC and GC/MS. Sixty components were identified, accounting for 95.9% of the total oil. The main constituents were alpha-guaiene (12.3%), gamma-muurolene (10.4%), gamma-cadinene (8.3%), alpha-muurolol (7.4%), alpha-gurjunene (6.0%) and alpha-bulnesene (5.8%). The oil was found to be rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (60.1%). The oil was active against Escherichia coli (NCIM 2065) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (NCIM 2957), with MIC values of 125 microg/mL and 500 microg/mL, respectively.