title: The antimicrobial activity of essential oil from Dracocephalum foetidum against pathogenic microorganisms.
abstract: A number of essential oils from Mongolian aromatic plants are claimed to have antimicrobial activities. The essential oil of Dracocephalum foetidum, a popular essential oil used in Mongolian traditional medicine, was examined for its antimicrobial activity. Eight human pathogenic microorganisms including B. subtilis, S. aureus, M. lutens, E. hirae, S. mutans, E. coli, C. albicans, and S. cerevisiae were examined. The essential oil of Dracocephalum foetidum exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against most of the pathogenic bacteria and yeast strains that were tested; by both the agar diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay (MIC range was 26-2592 microg/ml). Interestingly, Dracocephalum foetidum even showed antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. We also analyzed the chemical composition of the oil by GC-MS and identified several major components, including n-Mentha-1,8-dien-10-al, limonene, geranial, and neral.
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Research Center, KIST Gangneung Institute, Gangneung Techno Valley, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Saet Byoul
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwang Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Su Nam
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shataryn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altantsetseg
authors.forename: Sanduin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shatar
authors.forename: Oidovsambuu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sarangerel
authors.forename: Chu Won
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Nho
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019686:Lamiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile