The composition, antibiofilm and antimicrobial activities of essential oil of Ferula assa-foetida oleo-gum-resin

Abstract

Abstract Ferula assa-foetida is an Iranian endemic plant with various medicinal properties. The chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) distilled from oleo-gum-resin of the plant was characterized by a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The antimicrobial activity of the EO against the standard and clinical strains of bacteria and fungi was determined by broth microdilution methods as recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). The antibiofilm activity of the EO was evaluated by using XTT reduction assay. Based on GC/MS analysis, (E)− 1-Propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (21.65%) was identified as the major constituent of the essential oil followed by 10-epi-γ-Eudesmol (19.21%) and (Z)− 1-Propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (10.20%). The EO inhibited the growth and killed all tested yeasts at concentrations ranging from 0.03 µL/mL to 1 µL/mL. Moreover, the EO exhibited antifungal activity against the clinical and standard strains of filamentous fungi at the concentration range of 0.06–2 µL/mL. The EO was active against all Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at the concentration range of 0.5–8 µL/mL and 16–128 µL/mL, respectively. In addition, the biofilm formation of C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. krusei was almost completely inhibited by the EO at concentration of 4 µL/mL. Regarding the remarkable antifungal and antibacterial activities of F. assa-foetida EO, it can be considered as a potential source for developing novel antimicrobial agents in order to control fungal and bacterial infections or to improve the quality and shelf life of food products.