Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of the Fruit Oil of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. (Rutaceae) from China

An essential oil obtained by water distillation from Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. fruits wits analyzed by CC and GUMS. Terpinen-4-ol (19.7%), 1,8-cineole (16.0%), p-cymene (7.9%), gamma-terpinene (7.3%) and alpha-terpineol (7.2%) were the major compounds of the 35 identified components. The antifungal activity of the oil against 15 plant pathogenic fungi was assayed by the mycelial growth inhibition method and the values of median inhibition concentration (IC50) were below 1.0 mg/mL. The results showed that the oil had a broad spectrum of inhibitory activity against the tested fungi. The volatile components of the oil also Obviously inhibited the mycelial growth of Rhizoctonia solani and Rhizoctonia cerealis. These results indicate that Z. bungeanum oil could be a source of antifungal ingredients for plant disease control especially applied in fruit and vegetable preservation.