Constituents and Antimicrobial Activity of Sudanese Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae) Fixed Oil

Abstract

In this study Azadirachta indica fruit oil was studied by GC-MS. The oil was also assessed for 
antimicrobial activity. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 29 constituents .The major 
constituents of the oil are: i) 9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester (37.20%) , ii) methyl stearate(20.42%) 
, iii) hexadecanoic acid methyl ester(19.13%) and iv) 9, 12-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester 
(12.60%).The antimicrobial activity of the oil was evaluated via the agar diffusion bioassay against 
five standard pathogenic bacteria (Gram positive: Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis; Gram 
negative: Esherichia coli, Pseudomonasaaeruginosa) and the fungus Candida albicans. At a 
concentration of 100mg/ml the oil showed good activity against Escherichia coli. However, at the 
same concentration, it exhibited partial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. 
The oil failed to give any anticandidal activity.