This study investigated the chemical constituents of Gaultheria procumbens essential oil and is the first to relate cytogenotoxicity with oxidative metabolism and antimicrobial activity. Chromatographic analysis of the essential oil showed methyl salicylate (99.96%) and linalool (0.04%) as the major compounds. The essential oil showed no signs of cytogenotoxicity at different concentrations (1.82 to 58.34 mg mL-1). Furthermore, G. procumbens essential oil and methyl salicylate were used to evaluate the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimal microbicidal concentrations (MMC). The results showed efficacy against several microorganisms, including Aeromonas caviae, Candida albicans, and Mycobacterium fortuitum with MIC values ranging from 1.82 to 3.64 mg mL-1 and MMC values ranging from 3.64 to 12.67 mg mL-1, which were confirmed by time-kill kinetics. Based on our results, the essential oil is a promising alternative to developing future formulations to treat infections caused by microorganisms.
Keywords: MIC; PBMCs; Toxicity; methyl salicylate; microorganism; mycobacterium; time-kill.