Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of the volatile oil compounds from <i>Tropaeolum majus</i> L. (Nasturtium)

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity of some chemical compounds of the volatile oil extracted from Tropaeolum majus L. The chemical compounds extracted from the flowers and leaves of T. majus L. have been identified through color reactions and gas-chromatographic analysis combined with mass spectrometry. Quantitative testing and the ascertaining of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) have been done through the binary micro dilution method for liquid environments against the following microbial types and species. The qualitative evaluation of the sensitivity of microbial stems against these compounds has been done through methods that have been adapted from the diffusimetric method. Of the qualitative methods used for the control of the antimicrobial activity, the method of diffusion on filter paper discs proved to be the most efficient, the results correlating well with the MIC. Our studies have demonstrated the efficiency of the natural compounds’ of T. majus L. in anti-inflammatory treatments in animals. The antimicrobial activity proved to be selective, depending on the pathogen. These results are in agreement with those of other studies. Our results supported the selection and utilization of these compounds’ as antimicrobial agents in the treatment of infections with microorganisms resistant to existent antibiotics.

Key words: Chemical compounds, Tropaeolum majus L, antimicrobial activity, anti-inflammatory activity.