Bioactive compounds and biological activities of Eucalyptus cladocalyx Muell. leaves grown in Bainem forest of Algiers

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition, antioxidant properties, and antibacterial activities of the essential oil and extracts from Eucalyptus cladocalyx using leaves collected from the Baïnem forest. Essential oil was extracted via hydrodistillation with a Clevenger apparatus, and the methanolic extract was prepared using a rotary evaporator. Prior to analysis, 0.1 μL of the essential oil was diluted in 1:10 hexane solution for GC-MS analysis, which identified 30 constituents, with 1,8-cineole and p-cymene as the primary components. The antioxidant activity assessment demonstrated that the methanolic extract effectively neutralized DPPH, achieving 55% inhibition at a concentration of 500 μg/mL. Furthermore, the essential oil exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Klebsiella oxytoca as tested using the aromatogram method, while the methanolic extract showed notable antibacterial activity specifically against Klebsiella oxytoca. These findings suggest that the essential oil of E. cladocalyx has potential applications as a disinfectant in the pharmaceutical industry, while the extracts may serve as a food additive.