Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Topical Anti-inflammatory Activity of Valeriana jatamansi Jones. Essential Oil

Hydrodistilled oil obtained from the whole plant of Valeriana jatamansi Jones. was analyzed by capillary GC and GC-MS. The volatile oil of the plant consisted mainly of sesquiterpenes viz. carotol (10 %), germacrene B (9.5 %), cis-beta-farnesene (8 %), alpha-humulene (6.8 %) and humulene oxide (6.4 %). The oil was found to be a potential antimicrobial agent against Bacillus pumilus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. When studied for topical anti-inflammatory activity in Swiss albino mice, the essential oil exhibited significant activity as compared to standard drug.