Chemical composition, antibacterial, antibiofilm and synergistic properties of essential oils from Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and seven Mediterranean aromatic plants

Vieira, M., Bessa, L. J., Martins, M. R., Arantes, S., Teixeira, A. P. S., Mendes, Â. , Martins da Costa, P. and Belo, A. D. F. (2017) Chemical composition, antibacterial, antibiofilm and synergistic properties of essential oils from Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and seven Mediterranean aromatic plants. Chemistry and Biodiversity, 14(6), e1700006. (doi: 10.1002/cbdv.201700006) (PMID:28281322)

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Abstract

Essential oils (EOs) from Eucalyptus globulus Labill. ssp. globulus and from Mediterranean autochthonous aromatic plants – Thymus mastichina L., Mentha pulegium L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Calamintha nepeta (L.) Savi ssp. nepeta, Cistus ladanifer L., Foeniculum vulgare L., Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter ssp. viscosa – were extracted by hydrodistillation and characterized by GC-FID and NMR spectroscopy. EOs were evaluated for antimicrobial properties against several bacterial strains, using diverse methods, namely, the agar disc-diffusion method, the microdilution method, the crystal violet assay and the Live/Dead staining for assessment of biofilm formation. Potential synergy was assessed by a checkerboard method. EOs of R. officinalis and C. ladanifer showed a predominance in monoterpene hydrocarbons (> 60%); EOs of C. nepeta, M. pulegium, T. mastichina, E. globulus and F. vulgare were rich in oxygenated monoterpenes (62 – 96%) whereas EO of D. viscosa was mainly composed of oxygenated sesquiterpenes (54%). All EOs showed antimicrobial activity; M. pulegium and E. globulus generally had the strongest antimicrobial activity. EO of C. nepeta was the most promising in hampering the biofilm formation. The combinations D. viscosa/C. nepeta and E. globulus/T. mastichina were synergistic against Staphylococcus aureus. These results support the notion that EOs from the aromatic plants herein reported should be further explored as potential pharmaceuticals and/or food preservatives.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Mendes, Ângelo
Authors: Vieira, M., Bessa, L. J., Martins, M. R., Arantes, S., Teixeira, A. P. S., Mendes, Â., Martins da Costa, P., and Belo, A. D. F.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
Journal Name:Chemistry and Biodiversity
Publisher:Wiley
ISSN:1612-1872
ISSN (Online):1612-1880
Published Online:09 March 2017

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