Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil ofAsarum caulescene

Both essential oils of fresh and air-driedAsarum caulescene (Maxim.) were analyzed by GC-MS in three different polarities. The results show that thirty-four components were identified in the oils, and main compounds of both oils were β-pinene (7.63% vs. 20.72%), 2-carene (8.94% vs. 7.99%), β-phellandrene (7.80% vs. 14.39%), 1,8-cineole (8.91% vs. 13.29%) and germacrone (46. 64% vs. 6.64%), however, the content of monoterpene hydrocarbons (30.29% vs. 52.30%) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (47.69% vs. 10.65%) of both oils was different. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was evaluated against 3 fungi and 11 bacteria including 7 clinical isolated strains. Our results showed that both oils presented a broad antimicrobial spectrum, and compared with the essential oil from fresh herb, the extracted oil from dried herb had better antimicrobial activity, its minimum inhibitory concentration (Cm) values of dried herb were 0. 16–2.5 g/L and lowest minimum bactericidal concentration (Cm) values was 0.31 g/L.