Balti_2026_Chem.Biodivers_23_e71403

This study aimed to characterize the chemical composition of essential oil (EO) obtained by hydrodistillation from leaves of Tunisian Pistacia lentiscus (yield: 0.18%) and to evaluate its antibiofilm, antioxidant, and enzyme-inhibitory activities. The composition was determined by GC-MS and compared with other Tunisian EOs reported in the literature using multivariate analysis. The EO was rich in alpha-pinene (19.95%) and terpinen-4-ol (15.49%). Antibiofilm activity was assessed by crystal violet and MTT assays against five bacterial strains (three Gram-negative and two Gram-positive), with Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the most sensitive. Enzyme inhibition was evaluated spectrophotometrically against cholinesterases, alpha-glucosidase, and alpha-amylase. Acetylcholinesterase showed the highest sensitivity (IC(50) = 1.10 mg/mL). Overall, the EO represents a promising natural source of antibiofilm agents and enzyme inhibitors, with potential applications in the control of bacterial biofilms and in targeting enzymes relevant to metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders.