Phytochemical Screening, Antimicrobial Activity Study and Evaluation of in Vivo Anti-inflammatory Activity of Essential Oils of Opuntiaficus-Indica Seeds

Abstract

The Opuntiaficus-indica commonly called "prickly pear" cactus or Indian fig. The yield rates of extraction of essential oils from seeds by the steam stripping method and followed by liquid-liquid extraction by cyclohexane from the aqueous phase gave low seed yields equal to 0.29%.nIn the present study the phytochemical screening reveals Gallic Flavones Genincathecole Sterols and triterpenes. GC-MS has allowed to identify twenty nine compounds. On the other hand, the in vivo anti-inflammatory study in Wistar rats showed that our essential oil has a very important effect that persists and reaches an inhibition rate of 89.6%.The essential oil showed a very good antimicrobial activity against the tested bacteria.