title: Activity of essential oils from Brazilian medicinal plants on Escherichia coli.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Marta Cristina Teixeira
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Ewerton Eduardo
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Leme
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delarmelina
authors.forename: Andressa Almeida
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Glyn Mara
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Figueira
authors.forename: Adilson
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sartoratto
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D013729:Terpenes; C432872:geranyl acetate; C007836:geraniol