Résumé:
In this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the essential oils of Artemisia herba alba and Myrtus communis in vitro. These plants are widely used in traditional medicine worldwide. The results show that the essential oils of Artemisia herba alba and Myrtus communis have strong antibacterial activity against the tested strains. The inhibition zones ranged from 12 to 39 mm for Artemisia herba alba, and from 13 to 26 mm for Myrtus communis, and between 14 and 39 mm for the mixture of both oils. Furthermore, Artemisia herba alba was found to be bactericidal against certain strains such as E. coli, E. hormachei, and S. aureus, while M. communis exhibited bactericidal action against clinical strains. The combination of the two oils also showed bactericidal activity. Regarding antioxidant activity, myrtle demonstrated a higher antioxidant capacity than Artemisia. Keywords: Myrtus communis, Artemisia herba alba, essential oils, antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activy.