Microbial pathogens are the most prevalent cause of chronic infections and fatalities around the world. Antimicrobial agents including antibiotics have been frequently utilized in the treatment of infections due to their exceptional outcomes. However, their widespread use has resulted in the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites.
Biological Source of Essential Oils | Part | Antimicrobial Activities | Major Chemical Components | Mechanism of Action | References | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bunium persicum | Seeds | L. monocytogenes | , | Listeria grayi andAspergillusflavus | γ-Terpinene, 1-phellandrene, γ-terpene, cuminaldehyde |
Cell membrane disruption and cytolytic leakage Swelling and reduction in membrane function |
[10,29,30,31] | [9][10][11][12] | ||||||||
Cananga odorata | Flower | Hepatitis B virus (HBV), | Bacillus. subtilis, E. coli, S. typhi, Shigella shiga, Streptococcus-β-haemolyticus | and | A. flavus | Linalool, | β | -caryophyllene | Disruption of cell membrane integrity Induces apoptosis via nuclear condensation and fragmentation pathways including disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential |
[13, | [ | 32, | 13 | 33,34] | ][14][15][16] | |
P. aeruginosa | Synergism | [ | 74 | ] | Carum copticum | Seeds | S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus cereus, E. coli, S. typhimurium, Proteus vulgaris | Thymol, γ-Terpinene, | ||||||||
Ciprofloxacin Fluconazole | ρ-cymene | Depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane and disruption of cell membrane integrity and decrease intracellular ATP levels | [ | Thymus atlanticus | 0.25–0.50 | Bacillus subtilis | , | Micrococcus luteus | , | Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa12,35,36] | [17][18][19] | |||||
, | Escherichia coli | , | K. pneumoniae | and | Candida parapsilosis, | Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei | Synergism | [75] | Cinnamomum zeylanicum | Bark | Borrelia burgdorferi, E. coli., S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa | Carvacrol | Depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane and disruption of cell membrane integrity | [12 | ||
Ciprofloxacin Fluconazole | , | 37 | , | Linaria ventricosa | 38] | [17][20][21] | ||||||||||
0.26 to 0.50 | E. coli, C. albicans | and | C. glabrata | Synergism | [76] | Citrus bergamia | Peel | Campylobacter jejuni, E. coli, L. monocytogenes, B. cereus, | and | S. aureus | Linalool, Citral, Linalyl acetate |
|||||
Doxycycline | Carvacrol, eugenol and cinnamaldehyde | 0.7–1.3 | Acinetobacter baumannii | K. pneumoniae | E. coli | P. aeruginosa | Disruption of cell membrane integrity Induction of changes in ATP concentration, cell membrane hyperpolarization, and reduction in cytoplasmic pH |
Additive or indifferent inhibitory activity Synergistic bactericidal activity | [39, | [22 | 40] | ] | [77][23] | |||
Citrus reticulata | Peel | S. aureus, E. coli, Penicillium italicum | and | Penicillium. digitatum | Limonene and γ-Terpinene | Cell membrane disruption and cytolytic leakage | ||||||||||
Fluconazole Amphotericin B | [ | T. satureioides | | T. pallidus | A. leucotrichus | T. leptobotrys | O. compactum | A. herba alba41] | [24] | |||||||
Cymbopogon citratus | Leaves | HSV-1, HSV-2, | S. aureus | , | E. coli | and | Gaeumannomyces graminis | |||||||||
∆3-Carene, Limonene | ||||||||||||||||
Disruption of cell membrane integrity and cytolytic leakage | ||||||||||||||||
[ | ||||||||||||||||
58 | ||||||||||||||||
, | ||||||||||||||||
59 | ] | [ | 42 | ] | [43] | |||||||||||
Pistacia lentiscus | Resin | E. coli and B. subtilis | α-Pinene, β-Pinene, β-myrcene, Linalool, | trans | -Caryophyllene and Camphene | Disruption of cell membrane integrity and cytolytic leakage | [59,60] | [43][44] | ||||||||
Psidium guajava | Leaves | S. aureus, Salmonella spp. and E. coli | β- caryophyllene | Induction of apoptosis via nuclear condensation and fragmentation pathways including disruption of mitochondrial membrane | [13,61] | [13][45] | ||||||||||
Punica granatum | Seeds | S. epidermidis | Punicalagin, punicalin | Cell membrane disruption and cytolytic leakage | [62,63,64] | [46][47][48] | ||||||||||
Rosmarinus officinalis | Leaves | C. albicans, C. tropicalis | 1,8-Cineole, camphor | Disruption of cell membrane integrity and cytolytic leakage | [65,66] | [49][50] | ||||||||||
Satureja hortensis | Leaves | S. aureus, Corynebacterium glutamicum, P. aeruginosa and E. coli, and C. albicans | Carvacrol, Thymol | Depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane and disruption of cell membrane integrity | [12,67] | [17][51] | ||||||||||
Syzygium aromaticum | Floral bud | E. coli, S. aureus, S. typhi, P. aeruginosa, B. cereus, L. monocytogenes | Eugenol, eugenyl acetate | Cell membrane disruption and cytolytic leakage |
Antibiotics | Essential Oils/Essential Oil Constituents | * FICI | Organisms | Interaction | Reference | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin | Ajowan oil Thymol |
0.36–1 | P. aeruginosa, S. aureus | and | S. pneumoniae | Synergism—EO/thymol with amoxicillin against MRSA; EO with ciprofloxacin against | P. aeruginosa, S. aureus | and | S. pneumoniae; | Thymol with ciprofloxacin against | P. aeruginosa | and | S. pneumoniae | [73] | ||||||
Cefepime | Rosemary oil | - | ||||||||||||||||||
0.25–0.31 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. albicans | C. glabrata | C. krusei | C. parapsilosis | Synergism | [78] | |||||||||||||||
Citral | Induction of changes in ATP concentration, cell membrane hyperpolarization, and reduction in cytoplasmic pH | [ | 42 | , | 43] | [25][26] | ||||||||||||||
Fluconazole Amphotericin B | Citrus aurantium | 0.36 and 0.24 | Candida albicans | Synergism | [79] | Eugenia caryophyllata | Flower buds | |||||||||||||
Fluconazole, Ciprofloxacin Vancomycin | B. cereus, S. typhimurium and E. coli | Laurus nobilis | Prunus armeniaca | Eugenol, β-caryophyllene |
0.258–0.75Cell membrane disruption and cytolytic leakage Induces apoptosis via nuclear condensation and fragmentation pathways including disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential |
[13 | M. luteus,S. aureus, B. subtilis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae andC. parapsilosis,Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, | [ | 31, | 13 | 44] | Synergism] | [80][12][27] | |||||||
Eucalyptus globulus | Leaves | S. aureus and S. pyogenes | 1,8-cineol α-pinene |
Disruption of cell membrane integrity and cytolytic leakage | [45 | |||||||||||||||
Fluconazole, Econazole, Ketoconazole Itraconazole | Melaleuca leucadendra | ] | 0.35–0.46 | C. albicans | Synergism[28] | |||||||||||||||
[ | 81 | ] | Foeniculum vulgare | Seeds and Leaves | S. aureus, E. coli, and A. flavus | Anethole | Disruption of cell membrane integrity | |||||||||||||
Octenidine dihydrochloride | Lavender | 0.11–0.26 | [ | MRSA | 46 | Synergism | , | [82 | 47] | [29]][30] | ||||||||||
Homalomena pineodora | Leaves | B. cereus, B. subtilis, S. aureus, MRSA, E. coli, Proteus mirabilis, Yersinia sp., K. pneumoniae, Shigella boydii, S. typhimurium, Acinetobacter anitratus, P. aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Candida utilis | 2-octylcyclopentanone | Cell membrane disruption and cytolytic leakage | ||||||||||||||||
Oxacillin, Amoxicillin, Gentamicin, Ciprofloxacin, Tetracycline, Erythromycin, Clindamycin | coriander oil | 0.25–1 | MRSA | S. epidermidis | P. aeruginosa | E. coli | Synergism—coriander oil with amoxicillin, gentamicin, oxacillin and tetracycline against MRSA; coriander oil with gentamicin against | P. aeruginosa; | coriander oil with erythromycin and tetracycline against | [48] | [31] | |||||||||
E. coli | Additive—coriander oil with amoxicillin and clindamycin against MRSA; coriander oil with gentamicin and ciprofloxacin against | E. coli | [ | 83] | Lavandula angustifolia Sevastopolis | Whole plant | MRSA, | S. aureus | and | E. coli | Linalool, Borneol, Camphor |
Disruption of cell membrane integrity and cytolytic leakage | ||||||||
Polymyxin B | Cinnamomum cassia | 0.006 | carbapenemase-producing | Klebsiella pneumoniae | and | Serratia marcescens[11,49] | [32 | Synergism] | [84][33] | |||||||||||
Lippia sidoides | Leaves | Stegomyia aegypti | larvae | Thymol | Depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane and disruption of cell membrane integrity | |||||||||||||||
Sarafloxacin, Levofloxacin, Polymycin, Lincomycin, Amoxicillin, Ceftiofur, Ceftriaxone, Maquindox, Florfenicol, Doxycycline, Kanamycin | [ | Oregano | 0.375–1.5 | E. coli | 12 | Synergism—oregano oil with Sarafloxacin, Levofloxacin, Maquindox, Florfenicol, Doxycycline Additive—oregano oil with Polymycin, Lincomycin, Amoxicillin, Ceftiofur, Ceftriaxone Independent—oregano oil with Kanamycin | ,50] | [17][34] | ||||||||||||
[ | 85 | ] | Matricaria chamomilla | |||||||||||||||||
Streptomycin Ampicillin | Fresh or dried flower heads | Chloramphenicol | Cinnamomum cassiaLeishmania amazonensis,E. coli, P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis, S. aureus, S. pyogenes, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, C. albicans | and | Candida tropicalis | 0.38–0.125α-Bisabolol | Cell membrane disruption and cytolytic leakage | [51] | [35] | |||||||||||
E. coli | , | S. aureus | , and | P. aeruginosa | Synergism—EO with chloramphenicol against | E. coli | and | S. aureus | Additive—EO with Streptomycin and Ampicillin against | E. coli, S. aureus | and | P. aeruginosa | [86] | Melaleuca alternifolia | Leaves | S. aureus, E. coli, L. monocytogenes, C. albicans, P. aeruginosa and A. niger | Terpinen-4-ol | Cell membrane disruption and cytolytic leakage | [52,53] | [36][37] |
Mentha piperita | Leaves | C. albicans, C. tropicalis, Pichia anomala and | ||||||||||||||||||
β-lactam antibiotics (methicillin, penicillin G) | 1,8-cineole, eugenol, carvacrol, linalool, linalyl acetate, | trans | -anethole, thymol, menthone, menthol, β-caryophyllene | 0.2–5.0 | Saccharomycescerevisiae | Menthol, Menthone | Depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane and disruption of cell membrane integrity | [54] | [38] | |||||||||||
MSRA | Synergism—linalyl acetate with methicillin and 1,8-cineole with penicillin G | Additive—linalyl acetate with penicillin G | Antagonism—methicillin with thymol and methicillin with menthone |
[87] | Nigella sativa | Seeds | S. aureus and Vibrio harveyii | Thymoquinone | Apoptosis by production of reactive oxygen species | [55,56] | [39][40] | |||||||||
Ocimum basilicum | Whole plant | C. albicans, S. aureus | Linalool | Disruption of cell membrane integrity and cytolytic leakage | [34,40] | [16][23] | ||||||||||||||
Origanum vulgare | Leaves | Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton violaceum, Trichophyton floccosum, T mentagrophytes | Carvacrol, Thymol | Depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane and disruption of cell membrane integrity | [12, | [17 | 57] | ][41] | ||||||||||||
Pistacia atlantica | Gum | S. aureus, S. enterica, E. coli and L. monocytogenes | α-Thujene, α-Pinene, Camphorene, Sabinene, β-Pinene, |
[ | 31,68] | [12][52] | ||||||||||||||
Thymus vulgaris | Leaves | M. furfur, C. albican, C. tropicalis, Candida glabrata, Candida kefyr and Candida guillermondii, S. aureus, S. pyogenes and E. coli | Thymol, p-cymene, Carvacrol |
Depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane and disruption of cell membrane integrity | [12,69,70] | [17][53][54] | ||||||||||||||
Zataria multiflora | Aerial parts | S. aureus | , MRSA, | S. epidermidis | and | P. aeruginosa | Carvacrol, Thymol, p-cymene |
Depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane and disruption of cell membrane integrity | [12,71] | [17][55] |
* Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index.