Research Concerning Antimicrobial Activities of Some Essential Oils Extracted from Plants

Abstract

The principal components of some essential oils extracted from plants have been found to have microbial activity. Depending on the concentration, the members of this class are known to be bactericide or bacteriostatic. Their action mechanism is unclear, but some studies suggest that the compounds penetrate the cell, where they interfere with cellular metabolism. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of 5 essential oils extracted from plants on Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus and to determinate how different amount of the used oils can influence the results of inhibition tests. These results showed that mainly all the natural extracts presented an antimicrobial effect. Thereby, some extracts were more efficient than another and the order is: Eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus), Mentha piperita (mint), Lavandula angustifolia (lavender), Matricaria chamomilla (chamomile), Calendula officinalis (calendula).

Keywords

• bacteriostatic
• essential oil
• plant extract