Essential oils composition and bioactivities of two species leaves used as packaging materials in Xishuangbanna, China

This study reports the essential oils chemical composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of the leaves of Phrynium pubinerve Blume and Thysanolaena latifolia (Roxb. ex Hornem.) Honda, which are used as natural packaging materials by ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. GC–MS analysis identified 46 and 21 components, representing 88.6% and 93.4% of the essential oils of P. pubinerve and T. latifolia, respectively. The major constituents for P. pubinerve were (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol (17.31%), (E)-2-hexenal (9.01%) and 1-hexanol (8.61%). The major constituents for T. latifolia were (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol (28.79%), phytol (12.30) and (E)-β-ionone (9.54%). Both the essential oils and ethanol extracts showed antioxidant activity in DPPH test (IC50 values = 192.47–706.07 μg/ml), ABTS assay (IC50 values = 35.54–134.97 μg/ml) and FRAP assays. The essential oils showed considerable antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria and spoilage organisms, with MIC and MBC values in the ranges of 64–3072 μg/ml and 64–4096 μg/ml, respectively. The bioactivities of these two plant species validate the traditional use of these two plants, suggesting that both could be new sources of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents for the packaging, medical and functional food industries.