Abstract
Among the top five human infections requiring medical treatment is dermatitis. Treatment of bacterial and fungal skin infections is usually based on antibiotic therapy, which is often ineffective due to the involvement of antibiotic-resistant microbial strains. The aim of this study was to compare the antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) and hydrolates (Hys) extracted from six aromatic plants grown in Italy (Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula intermedia, Origanum hirtum, Satureja montana, Monarda didyma, and Monarda fistulosa) towards fungal (Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis; Trichophyton soudanense, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton violaceum and Microsporum canis) and bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus MSSA, Streptococcus pyogenes, E. faecalis, Enterococcus faecalis VRE, and Enterococcus faecium) potentially pathogenic for human skin. The composition and antimicrobial activity of EOs and Hys were evaluated using the Gas-chromatography mass spectrometry and micro dilution-broth test, respectively. The volatiles’ conversion factors (CFs) were calculated to compare the activity of Hys with that of the corresponding EOs. Data show that, although the minimum inhibitory concentration values of EOs are lower than the corresponding Hys, the volatiles contained in Hys are more effective at inhibiting microbial growth because they are active at lower concentrations.
Highlights
Among the top five human infections requiring medical treatment is dermatitis [1]
The aim of this study was to compare the antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) and hydrolates (Hys) extracted from six aromatic plants grown in Italy (Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula intermedia, Origanum hirtum, Satureja montana, Monarda didyma, and Monarda fistulosa) towards fungal (Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis; Trichophyton soudanense, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton violaceum and Microsporum canis) and bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus aureus methicillin- susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), Streptococcus pyogenes, E. faecalis, Enterococcus faecalis vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and Enterococcus faecium) potentially pathogenic for human skin
The minimum inhibitory concentration values of EOs are lower than the corresponding Hys, the volatiles contained in Hys are more effective at inhibiting microbial growth because they are active at lower concentrations
Summary
Among the top five human infections requiring medical treatment is dermatitis [1]. Treatment of bacterial and fungal skin infections is usually based on antibiotic therapy, which is often ineffective due to the involvement of antibiotic-resistant microbial strains such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) [2] and Candida sp. Given the poor innovation in the discovery of new antimicrobials and the frequency of recalcitrant skin infections, the need for innovative anti-infective therapeutics is becoming more and more urgent. In this field, great interest in the last 20 years has been focused on the potential of natural products. There are many scientific articles about the effectiveness of EOs in various contexts: antimicrobials, immunomodulatory, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, pain-relievers, etc., but there is little evidence on the activities of Hys
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