Medicinal Plants: Antibacterial Effects and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil of Foeniculum vulgare

Abstract

Medicinal plants are considered modern resources for producing agents that could act as alternatives to antibiotics in demeanor of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The aim of the study was to evaluate the chemical composition and antibacterial activities of essential oil of Foeniculum vulgare (FV) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry was done to specify chemical composion. As a screen test to detect antibacterial properties of the essential oil, agar disk and agar well diffusion methods were employed. Macrobroth tube test was performed to determinate MIC. The results indicated that the most substance found in FV essential oil was Trans-anethole (47.41 %), also the essential oil of FV with 0.007 g/ml concentration has prevented P. aeruginosa and with 0.002 g/ml concentration has prevented B. subtilis from the growth. Thus, the research represents the antibacterial effects of the medical herb on test P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis. We believe that the article provide support to the antibacterial properties of the essential oil. The results indicate the fact that the essential oil from the plant can be useful as medicinal or preservatives composition.