Major constituents and antimicrobial activity of Korean herb Acorus calamus.

Abstract

The constituents and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from Acorus calamus were analysed. Methyl isoeugenol and cyclohexanone were identified as the major constituents of the essential oil. The essential oil was tested for antimicrobial activity against bacteria and yeast, and has shown strong antibiotic activities against most of the tested microbes, except Escherichia coli. The hexane extract has shown a similar pattern of antimicrobial activity as the essential oil. Methyl isoeugenol, the most abundant constituent in the essential oil, has also shown similar antimicrobial activity, except against Bacillus subtilis. The essential oil as well as the hexane extract and methyl isoeugenol have shown antimicrobial activity against Propionibacterium acne, which is known to be involved in acne vulgaris.

• Authors: Wan-Jae Kim, Keum-Hee Hwang, Dong-Geun Park, Tack-Joong Kim, Dong-Woo Kim, Dong-Kug Choi, Won-Kook Moon, Kwang-Ho Lee
• Journal: Natural product research (Nat Prod Res) Vol. 25 Issue 13 Pg. 1278-81 (Aug 2011) ISSN: 1478-6427 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21707379 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Infective Agents

Topics

• Acorus (chemistry)
• Anti-Infective Agents (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Korea
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Microscopy, Electron, Transmission