Antimicrobial Activity of the Major Isolates of Mentha Oil and Derivatives of Menthol

Essential oil of Mentha arvensis L. was fractionated to obtain L-menthol, dementholated oil, mentha monoterpenes, menthone, isomenthone and liquid menthol. Seventeen menthol derivatives were synthesized semi-synthetically from menthol by reacting it with different acid chlorides. Eleven of these derivatives are new. Antimicrobial activity of mentha oil isolates, menthol and its derivatives were studied against twelve bacterial and nine fungal strains. Mentha oil isolates displayed significant inhibition of microbes.