Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil ofLippia javanicaleaves from Ethiopia

The leaves of Lippia javanica are used for the treatment of several skin diseases in Ethiopia. Forty-two components were identified and quantified, by GC–MS and GC–FID, comprising 98.9% of the total oil with cis-sabinene hydrate (20.3%) and limonene (13.9%) as major components. cis-Sabinene hydrate is reported here for the first time as a constituent of L. javanica leaf oil (Ethiopia). The essential oil and its two fractions were assessed for their possible antimicrobial activities against two bacterial strains (Bacillus cereus and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and one fungal pathogen (Cryptococcus neoformans) using the disc diffusion method. K. pneumoniae was found to be the most susceptible bacteria to the oxygenated fraction (MIC < 5 g/mL). The antioxidant property of the oil was assessed by free radical scavenging (DPPH) assay, with IC50 = 16.6 L/mL. These findings may support the traditional uses of the plant for the treatment of skin diseases.