Planta Med 2009; 75 - PJ127
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234932

Antibacterial properties of certain essential oils against different strains of Staphylococcus aureus

L Nedorostova 1, P Kloucek 1, J Smid 1, J Urban 3, L Kokoska 2, M Stolcova 1
  • 1Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic
  • 2Institute of Tropics and Subtropics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic
  • 3Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology, National Institute of Public Health, Šrobárova 48; 100 42 Prague-10, Czech Republic

Antibiotics introduce very narrow group of substances. On the other hand natural active substances are chemically very diverse [1]. There have been more and more bacteria which are resistant against same type of antibiotics, for example the large problem introduce Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospitals [2]. The aim of this study was to identify antimicrobial properties of the 7 essential oils (EOs) in vapour phase against 2 collection strains of MSSA, 1 collection strains of MRSA and 6 clinical isolates of S. aureus, obtained from two hospitals. All these strains have been tested against 10 species of antibiotics in standard doses. Tested EOs were obtained by hydro-distillation and tests of their antimicrobial properties were carried out by the modified diffusion method for testing of EOs in vapour phase [3] in concentrations 0.0083–0.53µl/cm3 of air. The ampicillin and erythromycin were tested as reference antibiotics by standard diffusion method in direct contact. The best MICs were shown by Armoracia rusticana (0.0083–0.017µl/cm3), followed by Majorana syriaca (0.0083–0.13µl/cm3) >Allium sativum (0.0083–0.26µl/cm3) >Satureja hortensis (0.017–0.13µl/cm3) >Satureja montana (0.033–0.26µl/cm3) >Thymus vulgaris (0.033–0.26µl/cm3) >Thymus serpyllum (0.033–0.53µl/cm3). Based on the results, EOs mentioned above could be considered as effective anti-Staphylococcal natural products.

Acknowledgements: Ministry of Educacion of the Czech republic MSM 6046070901.

References: [1] Kloucek, P. et al. (2005) Ziva 65:246–248.

[2] Hashimoto, M. et. al. (2008) Transpl. Infect, Dis. 10:110–116.

[3] Lopez, P. et al (2005)J. Agr. Food Chem. 53:6939–6946.