Composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil from the fruits of Amomum cannicarpum.

Essential oil from the fruits of Amomum cannicarpum (Wight) Bentham ex Baker (Zingiberaceae) was hydrodistilled and characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Major constituents of the oil were beta-pinene (14.00%), elemol (10.45%) and alpha-cadinol (8.50%). Thirty-three (91.48%) out of forty-one constituents were identified by GC-MS and subsequent data analysis. Antimicrobial activity of the oil against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and some fungi, was determined by the disc diffusion assay. The oil showed good antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris and very good antifungal activity against Candida albicans and C. glabrata.