abstract essential oil from the leaves of syzygium gardneri was isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gc and gc/ms. twenty compounds representing 88.8% of the oil were identified. the major constituent in the oil was caryophyllene oxide (49.6%). monoterpenes were detected in low percentage (1.2%). the oil was tested for antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as against the fungi candida albicans and c.glabrata.