Activity of essential oils from Brazilian medicinal plants on Escherichia coli.
Essential oils obtained from leaves of 29 medicinal plants commonly used in Brazil were screened against 13 different Escherichia coli serotypes. The oils were obtained by water-distillation using a Clevenger-type system and their minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined by microdilution method. Essential oil from Cymbopogon martinii exhibited a broad inhibition spectrum, presenting strong activity (MIC between 100 and 500 microg/mL) against 10 out of 13 Escherichia coli serotypes: three enterotoxigenic, two enteropathogenic, three enteroinvasive and two shiga-toxin producers. C. winterianus inhibited strongly two enterotoxigenic, one enteropathogenic, one enteroinvasive and one shiga-toxin producer serotypes. Aloysia triphylla also shows good potential to kill Escherichia coli with moderate to strong inhibition. Other essential oils showed antimicrobial properties, however with a more restricted action against the serotypes studied. Chemical analysis of Cymbopogon martinii essential oil performed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed the presence of compounds with known antimicrobial activity, including geraniol, geranyl acetate and trans-cariophyllene, which tested separately, indicated geraniol as antimicrobial active compound. The significant antibacterial activity of Cymbopogon martinii oil suggests that they could serve as a source for compounds with therapeutic potential.
Duarte
Marta Cristina Teixeira
MC
Research Center for Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture, State University of Campinas, P.O. Box 6171, CEP 13083-970 Campinas, SP, Brazil. mduarte@cpqba.unicamp.br
Leme
Ewerton Eduardo
EE
Delarmelina
Camila
C
Soares
Andressa Almeida
AA
Figueira
Glyn Mara
GM
Sartoratto
Adilson
A
D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D031743:Cymbopogon / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012703:Serotyping; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
D000085:Acetates; D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D013729:Terpenes; C432872:geranyl acetate; C007836:geraniol