The Chemical Composition and the Antibacterial Properties of Ruta graveolens L. Essential Oil Grown in Northern Jordan

Very little has been published on the essential oil composition of Ruta graveolens worldwide. Herein, we report on the essential oil composition of Ruta graveolens growing in Jordan. The essential oil was isolated using hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Ruta graveolens L and a chemical composition analysis was conducted using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activity was evaluated using a disc diffusion method. Thirty components, accounting for 98.1% of the oil, were identified. Ketones (43.02%), aldehydes (37.12%), esters (9.33%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (5.22%), were the major constituents. The major compounds identified were 2-nonanone (37.13%), undecanal (34.69%), 2-acetoxydodecane (5.0%), and 2-decanone (3.31%). The essential oil of Ruta graveolens showed a good antibacterial activity against all the tested bacterial isolates. The oil proved to be more effective on Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacterial species.