GC-MS ANALYSIS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SUDANESE CYPERUS ESCULENTUS (CYPERACEAE ) FIXED OIL.
The present study was designed to investigate the chemical constituents of Cyperus esculentus seed oil and to evaluate its potential antimicrobial activity.21 components were detected by GC-MS analysis.Major constituents are: 9-octadecenoic acid (46.24%), hexadecanoic acid(19.27%),9,12-octadecadienoic acid(13.62%),and methyl stearate(10.88%) .Butylated hydroxytoluene, a potent antioxidant, was detected as a minor constituent(0.10%).The antibacterial activity of the oil was evaluated via cup plate agar diffusion assay against six standard human pathogens(Gram positive: Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis; Gram negative : Escherichia coli and Pseudomonasa aeruginosa and the fungi Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger) .The oil showed different antimicrobial responses against test organisms.It gave significant activity against the fungus :Candida albicans and partial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.It seems that the oil is a lead for further optimization.