scholarly journals Differential Antimicrobial Effect of Essential Oils and Their Main Components: Insights Based on the Cell Membrane and External Structure

Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 405
Author(s):  
Sergio Andrade-Ochoa ◽  
Karla Fabiola Chacón-Vargas ◽  
Luvia Enid Sánchez-Torres ◽  
Blanca Estela Rivera-Chavira ◽  
Benjamín Nogueda-Torres ◽  
...  

The biological activity of essential oils and their major components is well documented. Essential oils such as oregano and cinnamon are known for their effect against bacteria, fungi, and even viruses. The mechanism of action is proposed to be related to membrane and external cell structures, including cell walls. This study aimed to evaluate the biological activity of seven essential oils and eight of their major components against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, filamentous fungi, and protozoans. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by determination of the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration for Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Shigella sonnei, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus, Alternaria alternata, and Fusarium oxysporium, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania mexicana, and the median lethal dose (LD50) for Giardia lamblia. Results showed that oregano essential oil showed the best antibacterial activity (66–100 µg/mL), while cinnamon essential oil had the best fungicidal activity (66–116 µg/mL), and both showed excellent antiprotozoal activity (22–108 µg/mL). Regarding the major components, thymol and carvacrol were also good antimicrobials (23–200 µg/mL), and cinnamaldehyde was an antifungal compound (41–75 µg/mL). The major components were grouped according to their chemical structure as phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, and terpinenes. The statistical analysis of the grouped data demonstrated that protozoans were more susceptible to the essential oils, followed by fungi, Gram-positive bacteria, and Gram-negative bacteria. The analysis for the major components showed that the most resistant microbial group was fungi, which was followed by bacteria, and protozoans were also more susceptible. Principal Component Analysis for the essential oils demonstrated the relationship between the biological activity and the microbial group tested, with the first three components explaining 94.3% of the data variability. The chemical structure of the major components was also related to the biological activity presented against the microbial groups tested, where the three first principal components accounted for 91.9% of the variability. The external structures and the characteristics of the cell membranes in the different microbial groups are determinant for their susceptibility to essential oils and their major components

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
Saeed Sahib Allawi ◽  
Jassim Mohammad Auda ◽  
Hiba Qasim Hameed ◽  
Tagreed Ibraheem Ali

Four extracts of Curcuma longa rhizomes ( commonly known as turmeric widly used as spice and coloring agent and known for its medical properties) were evaluated for their anti- bacterial action against pathogenic bacteria of gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium ) and gram- positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus) comparing with antibiotics (gentamycin, ampicillin and erythromycin). Essential oil which was extracted from turmeric found to be most active against pathogenic bacteria in comparison with other extracts (water, chloroform and methanol extract). Using 40 microgram/disc of essential oil of turmeric as a minimum inhibitory concentration posses significant activity on pathogenic gram-negative and gram- positive bacteria


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 269-274
Author(s):  
Novena Risnalani Rintank Constani ◽  
Hartati Soetjipto ◽  
Sri Hartini

Peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima L.) leaves contain essential oils which can be used as an ingredient in cosmetics, perfume, aromatherapy, medicine, and supplements. The study was conducted to obtain essential oils from peacock flower leaves and determine the antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Antibacterial activity test was carried out by the agar diffusion method, using paper discs. Measurements were made for the inhibition zone diameter (IZD) that appeared, while the essential oil component was analyzed using GC-MS. The results showed that the peacock flower leaves (C. pulcherrima) had a moderate to strong antibacterial effect at a concentration of 7.5%-20% against gram-positive bacteria (B. subtilis and S. aureus) and gram-negative bacteria (E. coli and P. aeruginosa). Gram-negative E. coli bacteria are relatively more sensitive to peacock flower leaf essential oil compared to other test bacteria. Peacock flower (C. pulcherrima) leaf essential oil is composed of 7 main components namely β-Cubebene 33.87%; Caryophyllene 23.00%; γ-Elemene 13.18%; α-Pinene 10.96%; Cadina-1(10),4-diene 10.20%; Copaene; 7.09%; β-Pinene 1.70%.


2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1200700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Peña ◽  
Luis Rojas ◽  
Rosa Aparicio ◽  
Libia Alarcón ◽  
José Gregorio Baptista ◽  
...  

The essential oil of the leaves of Espeletia nana Cuatrec, obtained by hydrodistillation, was analyzed by GC-MS, which allowed the identification of 24 components, which made up 99.9% of the oil. The most abundant compounds were α-pinene (38.1%), β-pinene (17.2%), myrcene (15.0%), spathulenol (4.2%), bicyclogermacrene (4.0%), α-zingiberene (4.0%), and γhimachalene (3.7%). Antibacterial activity was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using the agar disk diffusion method. Activity was observed only against Gram-positive bacteria. MIC values were determined for Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923(200 μg/mL) and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 (600 μg/mL).


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (13) ◽  
pp. 3891
Author(s):  
Giovanni Petrillo ◽  
Cinzia Tavani ◽  
Lara Bianchi ◽  
Alice Benzi ◽  
Maria Maddalena Cavalluzzi ◽  
...  

Twenty-two novel, variously substituted nitroazetidines were designed as both sulfonamide and urethane vinylogs possibly endowed with antimicrobial activity. The compounds under study were obtained following a general procedure recently developed, starting from 4-nitropentadienoates deriving from a common β-nitrothiophenic precursor. While being devoid of any activity against fungi and Gram-negative bacteria, most of the title compounds performed as potent antibacterial agents on Gram-positive bacteria (E. faecalis and three strains of S. aureus), with the most potent congener being the 1-(4-chlorobenzyl)-3-nitro-4-(p-tolyl)azetidine 22, which displayed potency close to that of norfloxacin, the reference antibiotic (minimum inhibitory concentration values 4 and 1–2 μg/mL, respectively). Since 22 combines a relatively efficient activity against Gram-positive bacteria and a cytotoxicity on eucharyotic cells only at 4-times higher concentrations (inhibiting concentration on 50% of the cultured eukaryotic cells: 36 ± 10 μM, MIC: 8.6 μM), it may be considered as a promising hit compound for the development of a new series of antibacterials selectively active on Gram-positive pathogens. The relatively concise synthetic route described herein, based on widely available starting materials, could feed further structure–activity relationship studies, thus allowing for the fine investigation and optimization of the toxico-pharmacological profile.


1989 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 665-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. FARAG ◽  
Z. Y. DAW ◽  
F. M. HEWEDI ◽  
G. S. A. EL-BAROTY

Six spice essential oils (sage, rosemary, caraway, cumin, clove, and thyme) and their basic ingredients were tested for their inhibitory effect against 3 strains of Gram-negative bacteria, 4 strains of Gram-positive bacteria, one acid fast bacterium, and one yeast. Preliminary screening of antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was done using the filter paper disc agar diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration for each essential oil against various micro-organisms was also measured. Very low concentrations (0.25 – 12 mg/ml) of the various essential oils were sufficient to prevent microbial growth. The data show that Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to the antimicrobial compounds in spices than Gram-negative. The inhibition zones of different microbial growth produced by various essential oils were similar to those produced by their basic compounds. Thyme and cumin oils possessed very strong antimicrobial activity compared with the other essential oils. There was a relationship between the chemical structures of the most abundant compounds in the essential oils under investigation and the antimicrobial activity.


2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (12) ◽  
pp. 1934578X0700201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janne Rojas ◽  
Judith Velasco ◽  
Luis B. Rojas ◽  
Tulia Díaz ◽  
Juan Carmona ◽  
...  

The essential oils from leaves of Baccharis latifolia and B. prunifolia collected in January 2006 were analyzed by GC/MS. The yields of oils extracted by hydrodistillation were 0.27 and 0.29% for B. latifolia and B. prunifolia, respectively. Sixteen (B. latifolia) and twenty nine (B. prunifolia) components were identified by comparison of their mass spectra with the Wiley GC-MS Library data and by their retention indices (RI). The identified products may be divided into four different groups: monoterpenes (9.0% B. latifolia; 43.9% B. prunifolia), oxygenated monoterpenes (0.8% B. latifolia; 5.4% B. prunifolia), sesquiterpenes (20.4% B. latifolia; 45.9% B. prunifolia) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (69.8% B. latifolia; 1.9% B. prunifolia). The oils showed antibacterial activity only against Gram positive bacteria, with MIC values for Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) of 80 μg/mL (B. latifolia) and Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212) of 90 μg/mL and 260 μg/mL (B latifolia and B. prunifolia, respectively).


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Neven Aleksandrova Lazarova-Zdravkova ◽  
Denitsa Georgieva Tsanova ◽  
Yoana Dinkova Stoyanova ◽  
Chavdar Petrov Chilev ◽  
Nelly Vladova Georgieva ◽  
...  

This study aimed to investigate the biological activity of aqueous mixtures of two essential oils. The mixtures were prepared by mixing certain amounts of lavender and clove oils with distilled water at room temperature. In the case of lavender oil, a relatively clear saturated aqueous phase was obtained after mixing with an excess of the essential oil. The clove oil formed stable oil-in-water emulsions. The antibacterial activity of the samples was tested against two model bacterial strains. The growth of the Gram-negative Escherichia coli K12 and the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis 3562 was determined in 96-well microplates. A more prominent inhibition activity against E. coli K12 strain compared to B. subtilis 3562 for both oil-water mixtures was observed. A disk diffusion test indicated growth inhibition by the lavender oil during the tests against the Gram-positive strain (zones of around 11.7 mm) while clove oil inhibited both bacteria (12 mm - B. subtilis 3562 and 13.66 mm - E. coli K12). The DPPH free radical method showed no antioxidant activity for the aqueous solution of lavender oil. The pure lavender oil exhibited negligible activity compared to the gallic acid reference solution, the clove essential oil, and its emulsion. A quantitative relationship between the content of cloves essential oil in the emulsion and its radical scavenging capacity was demonstrated.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document