Antimicrobial Combined action of terpenes against the food borned microorganisms Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus.

GALLUCCI, N; OLIVA, M.; CASERO, C; DAMBOLENA, J.; LUNA, A.; ZYGADLO, J.; DEMO, M.

FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Año: 2009 vol. 24 p. 348 - 354

0882-5734

The aims of this work were to study the antimicrobial activity of nine monoterpenes and the sinergistic or antagonistic associations between them and to relate the solubility water, H-bonding and pKa values with antimicrobial activity. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration were determined. The MIC of carvacrol against S. aureus was 3.2 g/l and of thymol was 7.5 g/l. E. coli was resistant. Carvacrol and thymol were bactericidal. The associations: geraniol/menthol against S. aureus and B. cereus and thymol/menthol against B. cereus were totally synergistic. Eugenol/geraniol displayed partial sinergism against B. cereus.  The other groups did not show any synergistic effect. Eugenol had the lowest pka, followed by thymol and carvacrol. Eugenol had the highest Total area and Polar area and intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen-bonding capacity, while carvacrol and thymol only had intermolecular. The terpenes alone and in combination resulted effective against microorganisms. Phenolic compounds were the most active terpenes. Associations between terpenes were related to the chemical structure. Studies on the antimicrobial activity of associations of terpenes will advance in the search of new alternatives for food preservation.