title: Antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Laurus nobilis L. essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus strains associated with oral infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laurus nobilis L. is an aromatic herb with relevant medicinal properties due to its important chemical composition and its potential therapeutic effects. In this study, we investigate the chemical composition, the antibacterial and the antibiofilms activities of Tunisian L. nobilis L. essential oils against clinical Staphylococcus aureus strains.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chemical composition of L. nobilis L. essential oils was analysed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activity of L. nobilis L. essential oils was evaluated in vitro against oral S. aureus (n=21) strains using broth microdilution method. The antibiofilm activity was assessed via Crystal Violet staining and MTT assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results revealed that GC-MS assay exhibited 1.8-Cineole, methyl eugenol and α-terpinyl acetate as the major compounds in the essential oils. Moreover, the essential oil from Sousse exhibited the best bactericidal activity (MICs values ranged from 3.91 to 15.62mgm-1). Furthermore, this oil showed a strong biofilm inhibition effect above 70%, from a low sub-inhibitory concentration (1/16×MIC). MTT assay revealed that both essential oils displayed an excellent antibiofilm activity with eradication percentages ranging from 79.6±2.27 to 95.2±0.56.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our finding demonstrated that L. nobilis L. essential oils are able to inhibit oral S. aureus strains with important antibiofilm efficacy. It could have a promising role in the prevention of oral diseases.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of infectious diseases and biological agents (LR99ES27), faculty of pharmacy, Monastir university, avenue Avicenne, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia. Electronic address: abderrahmen_merghni@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merghni
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of infectious diseases and biological agents (LR99ES27), faculty of pharmacy, Monastir university, avenue Avicenne, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Marzouki
authors.affiliation: Buccodental surgery department of Monastir dental clinic, laboratory of oral health and orofacial rehabilitation (LR12ES11), Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hentati
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of infectious diseases and biological agents (LR99ES27), faculty of pharmacy, Monastir university, avenue Avicenne, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aouni
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of infectious diseases and biological agents (LR99ES27), faculty of pharmacy, Monastir university, avenue Avicenne, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia; Laboratory of microbiology, university hospital of Fattouma Bourguiba, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mastouri
keywords: Activité anti-staphylococcique; Activité antibiofilm; Anti-staphylococcal activity; Antibiofilm activity; CG–SM; Essential oil; GC–MS analysis; Huile essentielle; Laurus nobilis L.