The present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and anticorrosive effects of R. officinalis essential oil. The antimicrobial activity was assessed using micro dilution method against two gram positive, one gram negative bacterial strains and two fungal strains. The anti-inflammatory activity of R. officinalis was determined using carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats and the inhibitive effect essential oil on the corrosion behavior of mild steel in 1 M HCl was studied using scanning electron microscope. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) showed that R. officinalis essential oil exhibited strong inhibitory effect, against all tested microorganisms with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.031% to 1% (v/v).Also this oil induces a very important decrease in inflammation compared to control group rats with inhibition of 66%.SEM study demonstrated that the addition of R. officinalis in 1 M HCl medium causes decreased of the roughness of mild steel surface and consequently possesses very good corrosion inhibition ability. These findings showed that the studied essential oil has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-corrosive potential that can be applied to the food, drug and steel industries.
