Antimicrobial activity of essential oils on pathogenic strains

REINOSO E; OLIVA MM; CARIDDI LN; CAREZZANO E; MARIOLI JM; BEOLETTO V

Understanding microbial pathogens: current knowledge and educational ideas on antimicrobial research

Formatex Research Center S.L

Año: 2018; p. 36 - 42

Plant products are the main innovative sources of therapeutic agents for the control and treatment of infectious diseases in humans, animals and plants. Current research on molecules and natural products focuses mainly on medicinal plants, which are selected according to their popular use. Products obtained from medicinal plants can be divided into different phytochemical categories: phenols, quinones, flavones and flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, EOs, alkaloids, lectins and polypeptides. Several studies have confirmed the antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity of the EO. In addition, reports showed that EO can affect biofilm formation [2, 3], producing damage to the structure of the microbial membrane. Different studies have shown that these compounds can inhibit the growth of animal pathogens. Essential oil of Minthostachys verticillata (Griseb.) Epling, a native medicinal plant of South America, and one of its compounds (limonene) showed antibacterial activity against bovine mastitis pathogens. Likewise, it was shown that EO was able to affect biofilm formation. Similarly, different plant essential oils were were used for the testing of the inhibitory activity against Paenibacillus larvae, etiological agent of American foulbrood. On the other hand, studies conducted on Pseudomonas syringae pv glycinea (causative agent of blight of soybean), Xanthomonas axonopodis (causal agent of pustule) and other phytopathogenic bacteria showed that the EO of Coriandrum sativum, Foeniculum vulgare and Origanum vulgare exhibited good inhibitory activity. Similarly, EO obtained from members of the Lamiaceae family (Lavandula stoechas ssp., Rosmarinus officinalis,Origanum onites, Thymbra spicata) were active against Pseudomonas savastanoi pv phaseolicola causal agent of late blight in porotos. In addition, inhibitory effects of Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare EO on virulence factors ofphytopathogenic Pseudomonas syringae strains was reported. The antimicrobial activity and low toxicity of medicinal plants are potential sources of novel antimicrobial compounds and new alternatives for the control of animal and plant pathogens.