Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Iranian Lavandula x hybrida

Lavandin (Lavandula x hybrida) is an evergreen shrub and cultivated worldwide for its essential oil which possesses various biological activities. In this study, the essential oils were isolated from the leaves of ten lavandin populations in western Iran. The hydrodistilled essential oils were analyzed by GC-FID/MS. Results indicated significant differences (p ≤0.05) among the various populations for the main essential oil constituents. The major components from different populations were 1,8-cineole (31.64 to 47.94%), borneol (17.11 to 26.14%), and camphor (8.41 to 12.68%). In vitro antibacterial activity was evaluated against S. agalactiae, S. aureus, E. coli and K. pneumoniae. The inhibition zones were in the range of 09.36 mm for S. aureus to 23.30 mm for E. coli. Results indicated that there was a significant correlation between essential oil composition and level of antibacterial efficacy expressed as inhibition zones.