Chemical and microbiological characterization of essential oils from branches, cones and sawdust of Cupressus atlantica, an endemic forest tree of Morocco

The cypress of the Atlas, as the subject of this study, is a Moroccan endemic forest tree, which belongs to the family of Cupressaceae. This work aims at the valorization of this species by studying the quantity of yield, the chemical composition and the antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils from different parts of the tree (branches, cones and sawdust). The mean levels of essential oil from different parts studied are respectively 0.23, 0.87 and 0.23%. The chemical composition analysis by GC and GC/MS showed the difference in the quantitative point of view of the constituents (α-pinene, α-phellandrene and germacrene-d) of the essential oils. The inhibitory effect of these oils on the proliferation of bacterial strains was tested, while the mould showed a strong resistance, and finally the rot fungi wood showed a variable vulnerability depending on the species vis-a-vis these essential oils.