Antioxidant, anti-hyaluronidase and antifungal activities of Melaleuca leucadendron Linn. leaf oils

The present study examined the chemical composition, in vitro antioxidant, anti-hyaluronidase and antifungal activities of essential oils of Melaleuca leucadendron Linn. from Gundih-Central Java, Indonesia in different plant ages of 5, 10 and 15 years old. The Chemical composition of essential oils were analyzed by GC/MS. Twenty-six components were identified, of which 1,8-cineole (49.22–55.04 %), α-terpineol (8.79–10.70 %), d-limonene (5.58–6.39 %), and β-caryophyllene (5.03–7.64 %) were the main compounds in these oils. The antioxidant assay and anti-hyaluronidase assay showed that M. leucadendron leaf oils possess mild antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ between 7.21 and 9.23 mg/ml and anti-hyaluronidase activity with IC₅₀ between 1.94 and 3.03 mg/ml. The antifungal assay showed the effectiveness of these essential oils against Fomitopsis palustris (IC₅₀ 0.12–3.16 mg/ml), Trametes versicolor (IC₅₀ 0.01–0.06 mg/ml), Cladosporium cladosporioides (IC₅₀ 0.03–0.49 mg/ml), and Chaetomium globosum (IC₅₀ 0.06–0.15 mg/ml).