Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of three Eucalyptus species essential oils from the Moroccan Maâmora Forest: Eucalyptus cladocalyx F.Muell, Eucalyptus grandis W.Hill ex Maiden and Eucalyptus botryoides Sm.

This research aimed to evaluate the chemical quality, antioxidant, and antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) activity of essential oils (EOs) from three species of Eucalyptus: E. botryoides, E. cladocalyx, and E. grandis. The identification of the chemical profile of these essential oils revealed that 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, and β-(Z)-ocimene constitutes the significant compounds of these EOs. The antioxidant power tests of the essential oils of E. grandis and and E. cladocalyx shows a strong scavenging activity of the DPPH free radical with a percentage of 80.83 % and 80.46 % respectively at the concentration of 160 mg/mL, results confirmed by the FRAP test. As for the antimicrobial activity, the essential oils significantly inhibited the growth against all the strains studied. E. cladocalyx EOs were preferentially effective against fungi at the minimum inhibitory concentration of 1/2000 v/v, then E. grandis EOs were more effective against bacteria and fungi at the minimum inhibitory concentration of 1/1000 v/v. Finally, E. botryoides EO is less effective against the tested microbial strains.