Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Cordia verbenacea from the Venezuelan Andes.

The essential oil of Cordia verbenacea D.C. (Boraginaceae) that grows in Mérida-Venezuela was obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of the plant, yielding 0.21%. The oil was analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Thirty one components which made up 94.3% of the oil were identified. The most abundant constituents found were: tricyclene (23.9%), bicyclogermacrene (11.7%), germacrene D (9.9%) and beta-caryophyllene (8.2%). Antibacterial activity determination was carried out according to the disc diffusion assay. Activity against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, at a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 170 microg/mL and 200 microg/mL, was found.