Antimicrobial activity of patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth) citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), and nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) essential oil and their mixtures against pathogenic and food spoilage microbes

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Abstract

New natural compounds that are effective against pathogenic and food spoilage microbes are needed, especially those that are resistant to conventional antimicrobial compounds. This study aimed to determine the composition and antimicrobial activity of patchouli, citronella, nutmeg essential oil and their mixtures against pathogenic and food spoilage microbes that is Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella sp, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger. The antimicrobial activity test was carried out by using the disc diffusion method to determine the zone of inhibition. Citronella oil has higher antimicrobial activity in inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus niger, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, namely 38.28 mm, 26.22 mm and 16.21 mm, respectively. Meanwhile, for Shigella sp, patchouli oil is better able to inhibit the growth of Shigella sp, namely 6.80 mm. The combination of the mixture of citronella oil with patchouli oil and citronella oil with nutmeg oil can increase the inhibitory ability of patchouli oil and nutmeg oil respectively against the growth of Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Staphylococcus aureus. The sensitivity of pathogenic and food spoilage microbes tested against these three essential oils shows the potential for patchouli, citronella, and nutmeg essential oils to be used as natural preservatives in the food industry.

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Essential oils: their antibacterial properties and potential applications in foods--a review.

Sara A. Burt, Victor Zinchuk (2004)

In vitro studies have demonstrated antibacterial activity of essential oils (EOs) against Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella dysenteria, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus at levels between 0.2 and 10 microl ml(-1). Gram-negative organisms are slightly less susceptible than gram-positive bacteria. A number of EO components has been identified as effective antibacterials, e.g. carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, perillaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid, having minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.05-5 microl ml(-1) in vitro. A higher concentration is needed to achieve the same effect in foods. Studies with fresh meat, meat products, fish, milk, dairy products, vegetables, fruit and cooked rice have shown that the concentration needed to achieve a significant antibacterial effect is around 0.5-20 microl g(-1) in foods and about 0.1-10 microl ml(-1) in solutions for washing fruit and vegetables. EOs comprise a large number of components and it is likely that their mode of action involves several targets in the bacterial cell. The hydrophobicity of EOs enables them to partition in the lipids of the cell membrane and mitochondria, rendering them permeable and leading to leakage of cell contents. Physical conditions that improve the action of EOs are low pH, low temperature and low oxygen levels. Synergism has been observed between carvacrol and its precursor p-cymene and between cinnamaldehyde and eugenol. Synergy between EO components and mild preservation methods has also been observed. Some EO components are legally registered flavourings in the EU and the USA. Undesirable organoleptic effects can be limited by careful selection of EOs according to the type of food.

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Effect of Essential Oils on Pathogenic Bacteria

Filomena Nazzaro, Florinda Fratianni, Laura De Martino … (2014)

The increasing resistance of microorganisms to conventional chemicals and drugs is a serious and evident worldwide problem that has prompted research into the identification of new biocides with broad activity. Plants and their derivatives, such as essential oils, are often used in folk medicine. In nature, essential oils play an important role in the protection of plants. Essential oils contain a wide variety of secondary metabolites that are capable of inhibiting or slowing the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds. Essential oils and their components have activity against a variety of targets, particularly the membrane and cytoplasm, and in some cases, they completely change the morphology of the cells. This brief review describes the activity of essential oils against pathogenic bacteria.