Abstract
The fatty acid, essential oil compositions and their respective antioxidant and antibacterial activities was determined in Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi leaves and twigs. The lipid content ranged from 1.75 to 4.65% in twigs and leaves, respectively. Thirteen fatty acids were identified with α-linolenic (C18:3), palmitic (C16:0) and linoleic (C18:2) acids being the main components. The essential oils of both organs were characterized by a high amount of monoterpene hydrocarbons (68.91-74.88%) with α-phellandrene (33.06-36.18%), α-pinene (14.85-15.18%) and limonene (6.62-8.79%) being the chief components. The DPPH˙ radical scavenging assay revealed that both oils have a very weak antiradical activity. In contrast, they showed an appreciable antibacterial activity against the gram-positive Enterococcus feacium (ATCC 19434) and Streptococcus agalactiae (ATCC 13813) bacteria. These results suggest that leaves and twigs of S. terebinthifolius could be considered as an important dietary source of health promoting phytochemicals and has a good potential for use in food industry and pharmacy.