Preservative properties of Calamintha officinalis essential oil with and without EDTA.
OBJECTIVE
This study was focused on the preserving properties of Calamintha officinalis essential oil, a plant known for its diaphoretic, expectorant and aromatic properties.


RESULTS
The commercial aerial parts of C. officinalis Moench were hydrodistilled and the essential oil analysed by Gas chromatography/Electron impact mass spectrometry (GC/EIMS). The inhibition efficacy of this essence, alone (0.5 and 1.0% v/v) and in combination with 2.0 mM EDTA, was assayed, in culture medium and in cetomacrogol cream, using preservative efficacy testing against standard microrganisms (E. coli ATCC 25922, Ps. aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Staph. aureus ATCC 6538P, C. albicans ATCC 10231 and A. niger ATCC 16404). C. officinalis essential oil in cetomacrogol cream with EDTA showed long-lasting antimicrobial activity, satisfying the European Pharmacopoeia Commission (E. P.) criteria.


CONCLUSIONS
C. officinalis essential oil could have a potential for a future use as a cosmetic preservative.


CONCLUSIONS
To find natural compounds with antimicrobial activity which could be alternatives to the synthetic chemical preservatives.
Nostro
A
A
Dipartimento Farmaco-Biologico, Sezione Microbiologia, Facoltà di Farmacia, Università di Messina, Italy. atnostro@pharma.unime.it
Cannatelli
M A
MA
Morelli
I
I
Cioni
P L
PL
Bader
A
A
Marino
A
A
Alonzo
V
V
D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000187:drug effects; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D002592:Cetomacrogol / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000378:metabolism*; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
D003470:Culture Media; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D002592:Cetomacrogol; D004492:Edetic Acid