Characterization of Essential Oils of Teclea nobilis and Zanthoxylum gilletii

Abstract

Essential oils are believed to be rich in bioactive compound which generally contribute to the overall medicinal value of a plant species. Rutaceae plants are mostly used by the traditional herbalist to treat different kind of ailments. Therefore, this research was to determine the occurrence, chemistry, biological activity and possible utilization of Zanthoxylum giletii and Teclea nobilis as antimicrobial. The extraction of essential oils was conducted in laboratory located in Center for African medicinal flora and fauna, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya using hydro-distillation in a modified Clevenger apparatus. GC-MS analysis was used to determine the chemical constituent of essential oil of Zanthoxylum gilletii and Teclea nobilis, (γ-Terpinene, (Z)-3,7-dimethyl-1,3,6-Octatriene and Isoelemicin) and Sabinene, α-Pinene and (R)-4-Methyl-1-(1-methylethyl)-3-cyclohexen-1-ol) were identified as the major composition of Teclea nobilis and Zanthoxylum giletii respectively. γ-Terpinene (0.64-3.76%), α-Humulene (0.08-1.58%), α-Pinene (1.38-26.20%), α-Cubebene (0.03-0.6%) and Caryophyllene oxide (0.24-7.09%) were identified in all the essential oils of plants used in current study. The presence of oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes suggests that the essential oils could be effective in managing secondary infections.