Comparative antibacterial and antifungal activity of a new type of essential oil from the Australian medicinal plant 'Eremophila longifolia' (F. Muell)

Here we report on characterisation of a pleasant smelling steam distilled essential oil from the traditional Australian medicinal plant 'Eremophila longifolia' (F. Muell) (Scrophulariaceae) by GC-MS. During collection of this species variant populations exhibiting unusual morphological variations and an essential oil fraction containing a large proportion of (-)-menthone, a-terpineol and limonen were discovered growing in a region of Western NSW (Mutawintji National Park). The morphological variations and essential oil compositions reported here have not been previously described in any of the botanical or phytochemical literature pertaining to this species.