Chemical, antioxidant and antifungal activities of volatile oil of black pepper and its acetone extract

GC and GC‐MS analysis of volatile oil obtained from Piper nigrum L resulted in the identification of 49 components accounting for 99.39% of the total amount, and the major components were β‐caryophyllene (24.24%), limonene (16.88%), sabinene (13.01%), β‐bisabolene (7.69%) and α‐copaene (6.3%). The acetone extract of pepper showed the presence of 18 components accounting for 75.59% of the total amount. Piperine (33.53%), piperolein B (13.73%), piperamide (3.43%) and guineensine (3.23%) were the major components. The oil was found to be 100% effective in controlling the mycelial growth of Fusarium graminearum in inverted petriplate technique. The acetone extract retarded 100% mycelial growth of Penicillium viridcatum and Aspergillus ochraceus in food‐poisoning technique. Volatile oil and acetone extract were identified as a better antioxidant for linseed oil, in comparison with butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry