Gas chromatography profiling and antimicrobial activity of calamansi (Citrus macrocarpa) peels essential oil
Paper Details
Gas chromatography profiling and antimicrobial activity of calamansi (Citrus macrocarpa) peels essential oil
Abstract
Calamansi (Citrus macrocarpa), a citrus fruit widely used in the Philippines, produces substantial peel waste, particularly in Northern Luzon, where it is a key condiment in Filipino stir-fried noodles commonly known as “pansit”. Despite the nutritional and culinary importance of calamansi, its peels, which are rich in essential oils, remain underutilized. This study aims to profile the chemical composition of calamansi peel essential oil extracted using a fabricated extractor machine for community use and to evaluate its antimicrobial properties. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) identified 109 compounds in the extracted oil, with D-limonene comprising 65.59%. The antimicrobial activity was tested against various bacterial and fungal strains using the disc diffusion method. The oil showed partially active to very active inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pyogenes, and Bacillus subtilis, particularly at higher concentrations (up to 10%). Additionally, it demonstrated significant antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus fumigatus, with the 10% concentration yielding comparable results to positive control. These findings highlight the potential of calamansi peel essential oil as a natural antimicrobial agent with applications in food preservation, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The study also emphasizes the economic and environmental benefits of repurposing calamansi peel waste, suggesting that future research may focus on optimizing extraction methods and exploring higher concentrations for enhanced efficacy.
Anandakumar P, Kamaraj S, Vanitha MK. 2020. D‐limonene: a multifunctional compound with potent therapeutic effects. J Food Biochem 45(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.13566.
Capili J. 2023. Design, fabrication and testing of essential oil extractors for quality production of essential oils from fruit wastes. J Biodivers Environ Sci 23(1), 13–26. https://innspub.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/JBES-V23-No1-p13-26.pdf.
Celaya LS, Alabrudzinska MH, Molina AC, Viturro CI, Moreno S. 2014. The inhibition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by essential oils isolated from leaves and fruits of Schinus areira depending on their chemical compositions. Acta Biochim Pol 61(1). https://doi.org/10.18388/abp.2014_1921.
Czech A, Malik A, Sosnowska B, Domaradzki P. 2021. Bioactive substances, heavy metals, and antioxidant activity in whole fruit, peel, and pulp of citrus fruits. Int J Food Sci 2021, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6662259.
Han Y, Sun Z, Chen W. 2019. Antimicrobial susceptibility and antibacterial mechanism of limonene against Listeria monocytogenes. Molecules 25(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25010033.
Hsouna AB, Trigui M, Mansour RB, Jarraya R, Damak M, Jaoua S. 2011. Chemical composition, cytotoxicity effect, and antimicrobial activity of Ceratonia siliqua essential oil with preservative effects against Listeria inoculated in minced beef meat. Int J Food Microbiol 148(1), 66–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2011.04.028.
Igimi H, Hisatsugu T, Nishimura M. 1976. The use of D-limonene preparation as a dissolving agent of gallstones. Am J Dig Dis 21(11), 926–939. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01071903.
Kim H, Kim MH, Choi U, Chung M, Yun C, Shim YH, Oh J, Lee S, Lee GW. 2024. Molecular and phenotypic investigation on antibacterial activities of limonene isomers and its oxidation derivative against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. J Microbiol Biotechnol 34(3), 562–569. https://doi.org/10.4014/jmb.2311.11016.
Lee SB, Hyun K, Kim SN, Altantsetseg S, Shatar S, Oidovsambuu S, Nho CW. 2007. The antimicrobial activity of essential oil from Dracocephalum foetidum against pathogenic microorganisms. PubMed 45(1), 53–57. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17342056.
Leite-Andrade MC, De Araújo Neto LN, Buonafina-Paz MDS, De Assis Graciano Dos Santos F, Da Silva Alves AI, De Castro MCAB, Mori E, De Lacerda BCGV, Araújo IM, Coutinho HDM, Kowalska G, Kowalski R, Baj T, Neves RP. 2022. Antifungal effect and inhibition of the virulence mechanism of D-limonene against Candida parapsilosis. Molecules 27(24), 8884. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27248884.
Mehta R, Dhruv S, Kaushik V, Sen K, Khan N, Abhishek A, Dixit AK, Tripathi VN. 2020. A comparative study of antibacterial and antifungal activities of extracts from four indigenous plants. Bioinformation 16(3), 267–273. https://doi.org/10.6026/97320630016267.
Palma CE, Cruz P, Cruz DTC, Bugayong AM, Castillo AL. 2019. Chemical composition and cytotoxicity of Philippine calamansi essential oil. Ind Crops Prod 128, 108–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2018.11.010.
Sun J. 2007. D-Limonene: safety and clinical applications. PubMed 12(3), 259–264. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18072821.
Ünal M, Uçan F, Şener A, Dinçer S. 2012. Research on antifungal and inhibitory effects of DL-limonene on some yeasts. Turk J Agric For. https://doi.org/10.3906/tar-1104-41.
Venkatachalam K, Charoenphun N, Srean P, Yuvanatemiya V, Pipatpanukul C, Pakeechai K, Parametthanuwat T, Wongsa J. 2023. Phytochemicals, bioactive properties, and commercial potential of calamondin (Citrofortunella microcarpa) fruits: a review. Molecules 28(8), 3401. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083401.
Wilkins J Jr. 2002. Method for treating gastrointestinal disorder. U.S. Patent No. 642045.
Yamaguchi T. 2022. Antibacterial effect of the combination of terpenoids. Arch Microbiol 204(8). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-022-03142-y.
Yu H, Lin Z, Xiang W, Huang M, Tang J, Lu YS, Zhao Q, Zhang Q, Rao Y, Liu L. 2022. Antifungal activity and mechanism of D-limonene against foodborne opportunistic pathogen Candida tropicalis. LWT Food Sci Technol 159, 113144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2022.113144.
Yu X, Lin H, Wang Y, Lv W, Zhang S, Qian Y, Deng X, Feng N, Yu H, Qian B. 2018. D-limonene exhibits antitumor activity by inducing autophagy and apoptosis in lung cancer. OncoTargets Ther 11, 1833–1847. https://doi.org/10.2147/ott.s155716.
Zema DA, Calabrò PS, Folino A, Tamburino V, Zappia G, Zimbone SM. 2018. Valorisation of citrus processing waste: a review. Waste Manag 80, 252–273.
Jennifer L. Luyun, Julius T. Capili, Jinky Marie T. Chua, Florichel Mae S. Wanya, 2024. Gas chromatography profiling and antimicrobial activity of calamansi (Citrus macrocarpa) peels essential oil. J. Biodiv. Environ. Sci., 25(5), 42-51.
Copyright © 2024 by the Authors. This article is an open access article and distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.