Antimicrobial activity and composition of essential oils of Mentha spicata cultivated under organic farming conditions in Turkey

Mentha L., recognized as a medical and aromatic plant, is a general name affiliated to mint species and belongs to Labiatae family. Some species are used as fresh vegetables in the Turkish kitchen and they can also be used in salads. In addition, some species have been used as a spice in food. In this study, chemical composition and antimicrobial activity towards some pathogenics (gram + and gram -) microorganisms of the essential oils Mentha spicata L. subsp. tomentosa (Briq.) Harley, Mentha pulegium L. grown under West Anatolian ecological conditions were investigated. Extractions were carried out with Clevenger apparatus and essential oil composition was determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Microorganisms used for the antimicrobial studies were Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterecoccus faecium DSM 13590, Escherichia coli Q157:H7 and Bacillus cereus CCM99. As a result, M. pulegium and M. spicata subsp. tomentosa were found to be rich in piperitenone oxide: 72.77% and 28.84%, respectively. Each of the oils was found to possess antimicrobial properties against test microorganisms. Essential oils obtained from Mentha species give positive effect on all microorganisms.

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Report on the Medicinal Use of Eleven Lamiaceae Species in Lebanon and Rationalization of Their Antimicrobial Potential by Examination of the Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Their Essential Oils

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2016/2547169 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Madona Khoury ◽

Didier Stien ◽

Véronique Eparvier ◽

Naïm Ouaini ◽

Marc El Beyrouthy

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Activity ◽

Chemical Composition ◽

Essential Oils ◽

Antimicrobial Agents ◽

Mentha Spicata ◽

Medicinal Uses ◽

Lavandula Stoechas ◽

Medicinal Use ◽

Microbial Infections ◽

Antibacterial And Antifungal

Many Lamiaceae species are consumed in the Lebanese cuisine as food or condiment and are largely used in the traditional medicine of Lebanon to treat various diseases, including microbial infections. In this article we report the traditional medicinal uses of eleven Lamiaceae species:Coridothymus capitatusL.,Lavandula stoechasL.,Lavandula angustifoliaMill.,Mentha spicataL. subsp.condensata,Origanum syriacumL.,Rosmarinus officinalis,Salvia fruticosaMiller.,Satureja cuneifoliaTen.,Satureja thymbraL.,Thymbra spicataL., andVitex agnus-castusL. and study the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of their essential oils (EOs). Our survey showed that Lamiaceae species are mainly used against gastrointestinal disorders and microbial infections. Chemical analysis of the EOs obtained from these plants allowed us to identify seventy-five compounds describing more than 90% of the relative composition of each EO. Essential oils with high amounts of thymol and carvacrol possessed the strongest antimicrobial activity. As expected, these two compounds demonstrated an interesting antifungal efficacy against the filamentous fungusT. rubrum. Our results confirmed that some of the Lamiaceae species used in Lebanon ethnopharmacological practices as antimicrobial agents do possess antibacterial and antifungal potential consistent with their use in alternative or complementary medicine.

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