American Journal of Essential Oils and Natural Products

AUTHOR(S): Landry Gounmadje Kengne, Maximillienne Ascension Nyegue, Esther Del Florence Moni Ndedi and François-Xavier Etoa

ABSTRACT:The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial effect of six essential oils against airborne bacteria. Essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Antibacterial susceptibility was evaluated by agar disk diffusion and micro atmosphere methods. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration were determined by the microdilution method in liquid medium. Measurement of the release of cellular material that absorbs at 260 nm and quantification of intracellular biomolecules in extracellular medium were carried out to investigate the antimicrobial mode of action of EOs. Overall, EOs in vapor-phase showed a better activity compared to the liquid phase. The MICs of EOs ranged from 0.04 to 3.12 mg/mL. The EOs of Eugenia caryophylla, Citrus sinensis, and Cymbopogon citratus presented a bactericidal effect on all the strains tested. Concentration of intracellular material released in extracellular medium ranged from 185.7 ± 2.75 ng/µL to 764.1 ± 3.46 ng/µL for DNA, 126.5 ± 2.33 ng/µL to 626.6 ± 17.25 ng/µL for RNA and 692.2 ± 6.22 ng/µL to 1231 ± 2.52 ng/µL for proteins. Citrus sinensis and Eugenia caryophylla EOs induced greater damage to the different bacteria produced by a greater release of biomolecules. This study demonstrates that the selected EOs have significant antimicrobial activity in both the liquid and vapor phase against the bacteria tested, acting on the cell surface and causing the disruption of the bacterial membrane. These EOs are interesting alternatives to conventional antimicrobials for the control of indoor microbial contaminants.

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