Abstract Coriandrum sativum L. seed oil was studied by GC-MS. The oil was also screened for antimicrobial activity. Fourty five components were detected by GC-MS analysis. The alcohols constituted the major bulk of the oil (62.94%), followed by terpenoids (12.87%), aldehydes (10.21%), hydrocarbons (6.34%), ketones (5.93%) and others (0.81%). The antibacterial activity of the oil was evaluated via the diffusion assay against five standard human pathogens (Gram positive: Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtitlis; Gram negative: Esherichia coli and Pseudomonasa aeruginosa and the fungus Candida albicans). Foeniculum vulgare oil showed moderate activity against Esherichia coli and Pseudomonasa aeruginosa. It also exhibited weak activity against Staphylococcus aureus and the yeast Candida albicans. It seems that this oil is a lead for further optimization.
Keywords Coriandrum sativum L., GC-MS Analysis, Antimicrobial Activity.