A flowering plant in the spurge family displays remarkable antimicrobial activity

The essential oil from the leaves of Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) was analyzed by Moroccan researchers to determine its compounds and their potential for antioxidant. They reported that jatropha oil contains more than three dozen compounds, many of which could scavenge free radicals and inhibit the growth of different kinds of pathogenic bacteria and yeasts.

The researchers received support from Cadi Ayyad University. They published their findings in the journal Industrial Crops and Products.

• Essential oil was extracted from the leaves of the Jatropha plants grown in Morocco. They were evaluated for antioxidant activity. They were also tested for their effects on Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and yeasts that cause diseases.
• Jatropha essential oil was made up of 38 natural compounds. The most abundant compounds were delta-cadinene, alpha-epi-cadinol, pulegone, chrysanthenyl acetate, alpha-cadinol, and thymol. Delta-cadinene made up 9.6 percent with the others taking up progressively smaller percentages.
• The DPPH assay showed that 314 micrograms per milliliters (mcg/mL) of the essential oil could achieve 50 percent inhibition (IC50) of free radicals. Meanwhile, the reducing power test produced the figure of 298 mcg/mL.
• In the antibacterial test, the essential oil exerted moderate effects on the growth of the years and bacteria. The only microbe that resisted the antibacterial effect was the hardy Gram-negative strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
• The yeasts displayed the greatest sensitivity to Jatropha essential oil. The Gram-negative ones were the least sensitive, although only one outright resisted the antimicrobial effect.

The researchers believe that the essential oil from Jatropha leaves can be used to complement current treatments for bacterial and yeast infections.

Visit NaturalCures.news to learn more about potential medicinal uses for the essential oils found in the leaves of J. curcas.

Journal Reference:

Babahmad RA, Aghraz A, Boutafda A, Papazoglou EG, Tarantilis PA, Kanakis C, Hafidi M, Ouhdouch Y, Outzourhit A, Ouhammou A. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ESSENTIAL OIL OF JATROPHA CURCAS L. LEAVES AND ITS ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES. Industrial Crops and Products. 2018;121:405–410. DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2018.05.030.