Antimicrobial activity of terpinen-4-ol rich chemotype of Himalayan cypress (Cupressus torulosa) essential oil

Abstract

The present study evaluated the antimicrobial potential of Cupressus torulosa needle essential oil (CTEO) against selected bacterial and fungal strains using the disc diffusion method. In the present investigation, CTEO exhibited concentration-dependent antimicrobial activity against all tested bacterial strains. At 500 µg/mL, the highest activity was observed against Streptomyces griseus (34±1 mm), followed by Salmonella typhimurium (30±1 mm), Micrococcus luteus (28±1 mm), and Staphylococcus aureus (23±2 mm). Among the fungal strains, CTEO showed moderate activity against Aspergillus fumigatus but was inactive against Candida albicans. The findings suggest that CTEO possesses promising antibacterial potential, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria, and may serve as a natural source of antimicrobial agents.