Roupala montana Aubl. Essential Oil: Chemical Composition and Emerging Biological Activities

<i>Roupala montana</i> (Proteaceae) is a shrub native to subtropical and tropical regions of Central and South America. The EO extracted from <i>R. montana</i> was analyzed for its chemical composition and biological activities. GC analysis revealed that the essential oil has a chemically diverse composition, predominantly composed of oxygenated diterpenes (29.37%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (7.81%). Phytol, with 21.17 ± 1.59%, was the major component. Enantioselective GC showed a high enantiomeric excess of (S)-(+)-γ-muurolene (95.07%) and enantiomeric purity of (1S,4aR,8aR)-(-)-γ-cadinene. Antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties were assessed in the EO, comparing them with related species, highlighting its potential for targeted pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications.