Antimicrobial combined action of terpenes against the food-borne microorganisms Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus

GALLUCCI NICOLAS; OLIVA MM,; CASERO C; DAMBOLENA S; LUNA AGUSTIN; ZYGADLO JA; DEMO MS

FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2009 vol. 24 p. 348 - 354

0882-5734

ABSTRACT: The aims of this work were to study the antimicrobial activity of nine monoterpenes and the synergistic or antagonisticassociations between them, and to relate water solubility, H-bonding and pKa values with antimicrobial activity. Theminimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBCs) were determined. The MIC ofcarvacrol 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 synergism 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 intermolecularand intramolecular hydrogen-bonding capacity, while carvacrol and thymol only had intermolecular hydrogenbondingcapacity. The terpenes alone and in combination were effective against microorganisms. Phenolic compounds werethe most active terpenes. Associations between terpenes were related to the chemical structure. Studies on the antimicrobialactivity of associations of terpenes will advance the search for new alternatives for food preservation. Copyright © 2009 JohnWiley & Sons, Ltd.