GC-MS Analysis and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil from (Cymbopogon citratus) against pathogenic bacteria

As medicinal plants known for their importance in different uses especially pharmaceutical usage due to presence of the active compounds represented by terpens, phenols, alkaloids…etc. and one of these important medicinal plants is our plant under study which is Cymbopogon citratus locally known as lemon grass that belongs to a Poaceae family. In this study lemon grass was collected from Anbar province desert then extracted by Clevenger apparatus so we got oil and identify the chemical compounds found in it by using general tests which shown the presence of alkaloids, phenols, tannins and flavonoids while cardiac glycosides and saponins were absent and the sample was identified using GC-Mass which revealed the presence of the following compounds (2-Methyl-Z, 13-octadecadienol) with percentage 39.86%. We can separate some pure phytopharmaceutical, which in turn can be used as lead molecule for producing the novel agent having good therapeutic activity. In order to combat pathogenic bacterial and zone of inhibition of growth with diameters of 22mm, the antibacterial activity of lemongrass oil on microorganisms has been examined using of well diffusion method. This study was conducted to determine the phytoconstituents presents in Cymbopogon citratus plant.