Composition and biological assays of the leaf essential oil of Asparagus flagellaris (Kunth) Bak

Abstract Background Asparagus flagellaris leaves are ethnomedicinally used to treat syphilis, gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), with no reports on the volatile constituents. This study was aimed quantitatively qualitatively characterise composition of essential oil, evaluates free radical scavenging antimicrobial capacity oil. Methods The oil isolated by hydrodistillation method using all-glass Clevenger-type apparatus, while identification quantification constituents were performed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. antioxidant activity 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) evaluated also tested against 10 strains microorganisms consisting 6 bacteria: Escherichia coli , Salmonella typhi Klebsiella pneumonia Pseudomonas aeruginosa Staphylococcus aureus Bacillus subtilis 4 fungi: Candida albicans Penicillium notatum Aspergillus niger Rhizopus spp. broth dilution surface plate methods, respectively. Results A pale yellow a characteristic scent obtained, yield 0.80% (w/w). total 28 compounds accounting for 97.41% contents identified. predominated Thymol its derivatives, 57.48%. most abundance (% area) 5-Thymyl tiglate (18.49%), Thymyl-2-methyl butyrate (17.34%), hydroquinone dimethyl ether (10.52%), methyl (9.42%) 5-Propyl-1, 3-benzodioxole (4.59%). showed significant compared standard drugs in this study, % inhibition varying from 88.06 ± 0.0001 93.05 0.0006. leaf exhibited all organisms at 500–125 μg/mL, an 18–10 mm inhibitory zone. Conclusion A. contains notable chemical responsible activities.