Abstract
Nowadays, the combination of molecules influences their biological effects, and interesting outcomes can be obtained from different component interactions. Using a mixture design method, this research seeks to simulate the efficacy of essential oil combinations against various bacteria and forecast the ideal combination. The chemical compositions of Myrtus communis, Artemisia herba-alba and Thymus serpyllum essential oils were analyzed using CG/MS. Then, the combined antibacterial effects were evaluated by testing mixture design formulations using the microdilution bioassay. The main compounds detected for M. communis essential oil were myrtenyl acetate (33.67%), linalool (19.77%) and 1,8-cineole (10.65%). A. herba-alba had piperitone as a chemotype, representing 85%. By contrast, the T. serpyllum oil contained thymol (17.29%), γ-terpinene (18.31%) and p-cymene (36.15%). The antibacterial effect of the essential oils studied, and the optimum mixtures obtained were target strain-dependent. T. serpyllum alone ensured the optimal inhibition against S. aureus and E. coli, while a ternary mixture consisting of 17.1%, 39.6% and 43.1% of M. communis, A. herba-alba and T. serpyllum respectively, was associated with optimal inhibitory activity against B. subtilis. The outcome of this research supports the idea of the boosting effect of essential oil combinations toward better activities, giving better understanding of the usefulness of mixture designs for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications.
Highlights
Aromatic and volatile oily substances derived from plant material are known as essential oils
Tunisian M. communis essential oil with a chemical composition similar to that found in this study, i.e., rich in myrtenyl acetate (20.75%), 1,8-cineole (16.55%), α-pinene (15.59%), and linalool (13.30%), showed an inhibitory effect against P. aeruginosa, E. coli, S. aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, B. subtilis and Salmonella enteritidis [46]
T. serpyllum single application has the best inhibition against S. aureus and E. coli with a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) % of 0.125 and 0.250; while against B. subtilis the best MIC was obtained with the ternary mixture of essential oils (0.125%)
Summary
Aromatic and volatile oily substances derived from plant material are known as essential oils. To assess the antimicrobial interactions between essential oils, this study coupled the mixture design approach with the standardized microdilution method in order to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of different mixtures [19]. In another study, Myrtus communis, Pimpinella anisum, and Carum carvi plant extract mixture was studied for an optimum formulation to treat intestinal comfort [27] Our study used this experimental methodology in order to contribute to the development of essential oil preservatives in food. The objectives were to evaluate the antibacterial combined effect of Moroccan M. communis, A. herba-alba, and T. serpyllum essential oils and to determine the optimal inhibitory effect against different bacterial strains alone and against a combination of all of the strains studied
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
