abstract the essential oil from seeds of bowdichia virgilioides kunt (fabaceae) growing in brazil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gc-fid and gc/ms. this analysis resulted in the identification of 17 components. the main constituents of the essential oil were b-elemene (6.9%), -caryophyllene (44.1%), germacrene d (7.9%), bicyclogermacrene (6.4%) and caryophyllene oxide (8.9%). the oil was tested for its antimicrobial activity against seven bacteria using the standard gel diffusion method.