Study: Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact

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Very interesting research.

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom - who is officially " out of the office " today as I'm

celebrating the first day of the " Hallowmas " holiday

 

Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks

you can think up if only you try!

- Dr Seuss

 

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

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Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents

against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact

http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/47/5/565

 

Shigeharu Inouyea,*

<http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/47/5/565#FN1> , Toshio

Takizawab and Hideyo Yamaguchia

a Teikyo University Institute of Medical Mycology, Hachioji, Tokyo

192-0395; b Functional Foods R & D Laboratories, Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd,

Sakado, Saitama 350-0289, Japan

 

Abstract:

 

The antibacterial activity of 14 essential oils and their major

constituents in the gaseous state was evaluated against Haemophilus

influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and

Staphylococcus aureus. For most essential oils examined, H. influenzae

was most susceptible, followed by S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes, and

then S. aureus. Penicillin-susceptible and -resistant S. pneumoniae were

comparable in susceptibility. Escherichia coli, which was used as a

control, showed least susceptibility. A minimal inhibitory dose (MID)

was introduced as a measure of the vapour activity. Among 14 essential

oils, cinnamon bark, lemongrass and thyme oils showed the lowest MID,

followed by essential oils containing terpene alcohols as major

constituents. The essential oils containing terpene ketone, ether and,

in particular, hydrocarbon had high MIDs. The vapour activity on short

exposure was comparable to that following overnight exposure, and rapid

evaporation was more effective than slow evaporation of essential oils.

The vapour concentration and absorption into agar of essential oils

reached a maximum 1 or 2 h after rapid evaporation. These results

indicate that the antibacterial action of essential oils was most

effective when at high vapour concentration for a short time. (See link

for full details

http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/47/5/565)