Antimicrobial activity of essential oil from Indonesian medicinal plants against food-borne pathogens

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate antimicrobial activity of essential oil from local plants or plants cultivated in Indonesia against three food-borne pathogens, Salmonella Thypimurium, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. A total 6 essential oil extracted from ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa), candlenut (Aleurites moluccanus), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum), and galangal (Alpinia galanga). By using disc diffusion assay, the highest antimicrobial activity against S. Tyhimurium, B. cereus and S. aureus was shown by clove bud oil (3.67 ± 0.58 mm), lemongrass oil (3.58 ± 0.14 mm) and clove bud oil (5.25 ± 0.75 mm), respectively. By using Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), the concentration of essential oil to inhibit the growth of S. Tyhimurium, B. cereus and S. aureus was found on clove bud oil for 0.39 %, lemongrass oil for 1.56 % and clove bud oil for 0.78 %, respectively. Out of the essential oil tested, clove bud oil and lemongrass oil showed promising antibacterial activity against S. Thypimurium, B. cereus and S. aureus.