title: Antibacterial activity of the essential oils of myrtle leaves against Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Myrtus communis (M. communis) L. against Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (E. rhusiopathiae) in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wild populations of M. communis collected from Khuzestan and Lorestan provinces, Southwest Iran, were examined for antibacterial activity and chemical variability in leaves. The in vitro antibacterial activity against E. rhusiopathiae was performed by agar disc diffusion and micro-dilution assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The essential oils of M. communis have strong antibacterial against E. rhusiopathiae in both assays. The results showed that the major components of the oil were α-pinene (22.3%-55.2%), 1,8-cineole (8.7%-43.8%) and linalool (6.4%-14.5%). The inhibition zones and MIC values for bacteria which were sensitive to the essential oils of M. communis were in the range of 14.7-27.0 mm and 0.031-0.25 mg/mL, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that products with valuable antibacterial activity can be produced from leaves of M. communis against E. rhusiopathiae.
authors.affiliation: Medicinal Plants Program, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, College of Natural Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA ; Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Department of Medicinal Plants, P.O. Box 166, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Abdollah Ghasemi
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Pirbalouti
authors.affiliation: Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Department of Food Hygiene, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mirbagheri
authors.affiliation: Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Department of Medicinal Plants, P.O. Box 166, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hamedi
authors.affiliation: Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Department of Food Hygiene, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rahimi
keywords: 1,8-cineole; Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae; Essential oil; Myrtus communis L.; α-Pinene