CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, ANTIMICROBIAL AND MOSQUITO LARVICIDAL ACTIVITIES OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF CHLORANTHUS ERECTUS COLLECTED IN VIETNAM

Chloranthus erectus, a subshrub native to South and Southeast Asia, has traditionally been used for its medicinal properties. This study investigated the chemical composition of the essential oil extracted from the aerial parts of C. erectus collected in Vietnam and evaluated its antimicrobial and mosquito larvicidal activities. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation with a yield of 0.21% (v/w) and analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection and mass spectrometry (GC–FID/MS). The major constituents identified were (E)-β-ocimene (13.41%), myrcene (12.85%), spathulenol (12.55%), and bicyclogermacrene (12.01%). Antimicrobial activity was assessed by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) against selected bacterial and fungal strains. The essential oil showed antimicrobial activity, particularly against Candida albicans (MIC: 16 µg/mL; IC50: 8.96 µg/mL), as well as against Gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus cereus and Enterococcus faecalis. Larvicidal assays demonstrated toxicity against larvae of Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus, with lethal concentration (LC50 and LC90) values below 100 µg/mL after 24 and 48 h of exposure. These results highlight the bioactive potential of C. erectus essential oil for pharmaceutical and environmentally friendly mosquito control applications.