Unveiling the antimicrobial potential of essential oils from medicinal and aromatic plants against foodborne pathogens

Öz

This study investigates the chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of essential oils (EOs) from rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), sage (Salvia officinalis), basil (Ocimum basilicum), peppermint (Mentha piperita), and spearmint (Mentha spicata). Oxygenated monoterpenes were identified as the dominant compound class across all species, with the highest proportions in Mentha piperita (90.7%) and Mentha spicata (78.1%). Among individual compounds, 1,8-cineole was prominent, particularly in rosemary (29.7%) and sage (23.6%). Unique profiles were observed for linalool in basil (53.2%) and menthol in peppermint (50%), while carvone dominated in spearmint (65%). Antimicrobial assays showed that Mentha piperita exhibited the strongest activity, particularly against L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 16 µg/mL. This activity is attributed to its high menthol content. In contrast, Rosmarinus officinalis and Salvia officinalis exhibited limited or no activity against certain bacterial strains. E. coli O157:H7 NTCC12900 was identified as the most sensitive bacteria to the tested EOs, particularly peppermint and sage oils. These results highlight the promise of essential oils as natural antimicrobial agents. Their efficacy against foodborne pathogens suggests promising applications in food preservation. Incorporating EOs into packaging materials or directly into food products offers an innovative approach to extending shelf-life and ensuring safety. Such strategies align with the growing demand for sustainable, chemical-free preservation techniques.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Antimicrobial activity
• Essential oils
• Food pathogens
• Chemical composition

Aromatik ve tıbbi bitkilerden elde edilen esansiyel yağların gıda kaynaklı patojenlere karşı antimikrobiyal potansiyelinin ortaya çıkarılması

Öz

Bu çalışma, biberiye (Rosmarinus officinalis), adaçayı (Salvia officinalis), fesleğen (Ocimum basilicum), tıbbi nane (Mentha piperita) ve bahçe nanesi (Mentha spicata) bitkilerine ait uçucu yağların (essential oils, EOs) kimyasal bileşimini ve antimikrobiyal özelliklerini araştırmıştır. Tüm türlerde oksijenli monoterpenler baskın bileşik sınıfı olarak belirlenmiş olup, en yüksek oranlar Mentha piperita (%90.7) ve Mentha spicata (%78.1) türlerinde tespit edilmiştir. Bireysel bileşikler arasında ise 1,8-sineol özellikle biberiye (%29.7) ve adaçayında (%23.6) öne çıkmıştır. Fesleğende linalool (%53.2) ve nane uçucu yağında mentol (%50) yüksek oranda bulunurken, bahçe nanesi türünde ise karvon (%65) baskın bileşik olmuştur. Yapılan antimikrobiyal testlerde Mentha piperita en güçlü antimikrobiyal aktiviteyi göstermiş ve özellikle Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644 suşuna karşı minimum inhibitör konsantrasyonu (MIC) 16 µg/mL olarak belirlenmiştir. Bu yüksek aktivite, mentol içeriğinin yüksekliği ile ilişkilendirilmiştir. Buna karşılık, Rosmarinus officinalis ve Salvia officinalis bazı bakteri suşlarına karşı sınırlı ya da hiç aktivite göstermemiştir. Çalışmada test edilen uçucu yağlara karşı en duyarlı bakteri olarak E. coli O157:H7 NTCC12900 suşunun olduğu belirlenmiş; özellikle nane ve adaçayı yağlarına karşı yüksek duyarlılık göstermiştir. Bu bulgular, uçucu yağların doğal antimikrobiyal ajanlar olarak potansiyelini vurgulamakta olup, gıda kaynaklı patojenlere karşı etkinlikleri, gıda koruma uygulamalarında umut verici alternatifler olduğunu göstermektedir. Uçucu yağların ambalaj materyallerine veya doğrudan gıda ürünlerine eklenmesi, raf ömrünü uzatmak ve gıda güvenliğini sağlamak amacıyla yenilikçi bir yaklaşım sunmakta ve sürdürülebilir, kimyasal içermeyen koruma tekniklerine yönelik artan talep ile örtüşmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Antimikrobiyal aktivite
• Uçucu yağlar
• Gıda patojenleri
• Kimyasal bileşim

Kaynakça

1. [1] Bakkali F, Averbeck S, Averbeck D, Idaomar M. “Biological effects of essential oils - A review”. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 46(2), 446-475, 2008.
2. [2] Mimica-Dukic N, Bugarin D, Grbovic S, Mitic-Culafic D, Vukovic-Gacic B, Orcic D, Jovin E, Couladis M. “Essential oil of Myrtus communis L. As a potential antioxidant and antimutagenic agents”. Molecules, 15(4), 2759-2770, 2010.
3. [3] Nostro A, Germanò MP, D’Angelo V, Marino A, Cannatelli MA. “Extraction methods and bioautography for evaluation of medicinal plant antimicrobial activity”. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 30(5), 379-384, 2000.
4. [4] Oliveira GDD, Rocha WRVD, Rodrigues JFB, Alves HDS. “Synergistic and antibiofilm effects of the essential oil from Croton conduplicatus (Euphorbiaceae) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus”. Pharmaceuticals, 16(1), 55, 2022.
5. [5] Yang J, Zhu X, Xu X, Sun Q. “Recent knowledge in phages, phage-encoded endolysin, and phage encapsulation against foodborne pathogens”. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 64(32), 12040-12060, 2023.
6. [6] Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar M, Hosseinzadeh H. “Toxicity and safety of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): A comprehensive review”. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Archives of Pharmacology, 398(1), 9-23, 2024.
7. [7] Ali SI, Ibrahim HM, Abdelsattar M, Bayomi KM. “Salvia multicaulis × Salvia officinalis hybridization: Changes in the phenolic and essential oil profiles, gene expression and biological activity under saint catherine conditions-Egypt”. South African Journal of Botany, 173, 184-195, 2024.
8. [8] Zhakipbekov K, Turgumbayeva A, Akhelova S, Bekmuratova K, Blinova O, Utegenova G, Shertaeva K, Sadykov N, Tastambek K, Saginbazarova A, Urazgaliyev K, Tulegenova G, Zhalimova Z, Karasova Z. “Antimicrobial and other pharmacological properties of Ocimum basilicum, Lamiaceae”. Molecules, 29(2), 1-19, 2024.

9. [9] Wang M, Lee J, Zhao J, Chatterjee S, Chittiboyina AG, Ali Z, Khan IA. “Comprehensive quality assessment of peppermint oils and commercial products: An integrated approach involving conventional and chiral GC/MS coupled with chemometrics”. Journal of Chromatography B: Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences, 1232, 123953, 2024.
10. [10] Katar D, Kacar O, Kara N, Aytaç Z, Göksu E, Kara S, Katar N, Erbaş S, Telci İ, Elmastaş M. “Ecological variation of yield and aroma components of summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.)”. Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 7, 131-135, 2017.
11. [11] Ali A, Tabanca N, Özek G, Özek T, Aytaç Z, Bernier UR, Agramonte NM, Başer KHC, Khan IA. "Essential oils of Echinophora lamondiana (Apiales: Umbelliferae): A relationship between chemical profile and biting deterrence and larvicidal activity against mosquitoes (Diptera: culicidae)”. Journal of Medical Entomology, 52(1), 93-100, 2015.
12. [12] Çınar A, Altuntaş S, Demircan H, Dündar AN, Taner G, Oral RA. “Encapsulated black garlic: Comparison with black garlic extract in terms of physicochemical properties, biological activities, production efficiency and storage stability”. Food Bioscience, 50(PA), 101979, 2022.
13. [13] Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. “CLSI-M07-A10 Methods for dilution antimicrobial susceptibility tests for bacteria that grow aerobically”. Wayne, PA, Approved Standard, Tenth Edition, 2015.
14. [14] Kang J, Jin W, Wang J, Sun Y, Wu X, Liu L. “Antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities of peppermint essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus”. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 101, 639-645, 2019.
15. [15] Cai ZM, Peng JQ, Chen Y, Tao L, Zhang YY, Fu LY, Shen XC. “1, 8-Cineole: A review of source, biological activities, and application”. Journal of Asian Natural Products Research, 23(10), 938-954, 2021.
16. [16] Pereira I, Severino P, Santos AC, Silva AM, Souto EB. “Linalool bioactive properties and potential applicability in drug delivery systems”. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 171, 566-578, 2018.
17. [17] Pina LT, Serafini MR, Oliveira MA, Sampaio LA, Guimaraes JO, Guimaraes AG. “Carvone and its pharmacological activities: A systematic review”. Phytochemistry, 196, 113080, 2022.
18. [18] Mhiri R, Kchaou M, Belhadj S, El Feki A, Allouche N. “Characterization of aromatic compounds and activities of essential oils from Tunisian aromatic plants”. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 12(2), 839-847, 2018.
19. [19] El Euch SK, Hassine DB, Cazaux S, Bouzouita N, Bouajila J. “Salvia officinalis essential oil: Chemical analysis and evaluation of anti-enzymatic and antioxidant bioactivities”. South African Journal of Botany, 120, 253-260, 2019.
20. [20] Cutillas AB, Carrasco A, Martinez-Gutierrez R, Tomas V, Tudela J. “Salvia officinalis L. essential oils from Spain: Determination of composition, antioxidant capacity, antienzymatic, and antimicrobial bioactivities”. Chemistry and Biodiversity, 14(8), e1700102, 2017.
21. [21] da Silva WMF, Kringel DH, de Souza EJD, da Rosa Zavareze E, Dias ARG. “Basil essential oil: Methods of extraction, chemical composition, biological activities, and food applications”. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 15(1), 1-27, 2022.
22. [22] Qasem A, Assaggaf H, Mrabti HN, Minshawi F, Rajab BS, Attar AA, Alyamani RA, Hamed M, Mrabti NN, El Baaboua A, El Omari N, Alshahrani MM, Al Awadh AA, Sheikh RA, Ming LC, Goh KW, Bouyahya A. “Determination of chemical composition and investigation of biological activities of Ocimum basilicum L”. Molecules, 28(2), 614, 2023.
23. [23] Saharkhiz MJ, Motamedi M, Zomorodian K, Pakshir K, Miri R, Hemyari K. “Chemical composition, antifungal and antibiofilm activities of the essential oil of Mentha piperita L.”. International Scholarly Research Network Pharmaceutics, 718645, 1-6, 2012.
24. [24] Beigi M, Torki-Harchegani M, Ghasemi Pirbalouti A. “Quantity and chemical composition of essential oil of peppermint (Mentha piperita l.) leaves under different drying methods”. International Journal of Food Properties, 21(1), 267-276, 2018.
25. [25] Chauhan RS, Kaul MK, Shahi AK, Kumar A, Ram G, Tawa A. “Chemical composition of essential oils in Mentha spicata L. accession [IIIM(J)26] from North-West Himalayan region, India.” Industrial Crops and Products, 29(2-3), 654-656, 2009.
26. [26] Bardaweel SK, Bakchiche B, ALSalamat HA, Rezzoug M, Gherib A, Flamini G. “Chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities of essential oil of Mentha spicata L. (Lamiaceae) from Algerian Saharan Atlas”. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 18(1), 1-7, 2018.
27. [27] Çınar O, Tokgöz H, Gölükcü M, Bayar FU. “Biberiye (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) uçucu yağ kalite parametrelerinin hasat zamanı ve lokasyona göre değişimi”. Journal of the Institute of Science and Technology, 12(2), 1114-1123, 2022.
28. [28] Chrysargyris A, Evangelides E, Tzortzakis N. “Seasonal variation of antioxidant capacity, phenols, minerals and essential oil components of sage, spearmint and sideritis plants grown at different altitudes”. Agronomy, 11(9), 1766, 2021.
29. [29] Mwithiga G, Maina S, Gitari J, Muturi P. “Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) growth rate, oil yield and oil quality under differing soil amendments”. Heliyon, 8(4), e09277, 2022.
30. [30] Valkovszki NJ, Szalóki T, Székely Á, Kun Á, Kolozsvári I, Szalókiné Zima I, Jancsó M. “Influence of soil types on the morphology, yield, and essential oil composition of common sage (Salvia officinalis L.)”. Horticulturae, 9(9), 1037, 2023.
31. [31] Kotan R, Kordali S, Cakir A. “Screening of antibacterial activities of twenty-one oxygenated monoterpenes”. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C, 62(7-8), 507-513, 2007.
32. [32] Endo EH, Costa GM, Makimori RY, Ueda-Nakamura T, Nakamura CV, Dias Filho BP. “Anti-biofilm activity of Rosmarinus officinalis, Punica granatum and Tetradenia riparia against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and synergic interaction with penicillin”. Journal of Herbal Medicine, 14, 48-54, 2018.
33. [33] Mazzarrino G, Paparella A, Chaves-López C, Faberi A, Sergi M, Sigismondi C, Compagnone D, Serio A. “Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes inactivation dynamics after treatment with selected essential oils”. Food Control, 50, 794-803, 2015.
34. [34] Angane M, Swift S, Huang K, Butts CA, Quek SY.” Essential oils and their major components: An updated review on antimicrobial activities, mechanism of action and their potential application in the food industry”. Foods, 11(3), 464, 2022.
35. [35] Denev P, Kratchanova M, Ciz M, Lojek A, Vasicek O, Nedelcheva P, Blazheva D, Toshkova R, Gardeva E, Yossifova L, Hyrsl P, Vojtek L. “Biological activities of selected polyphenol-rich fruits related to immunity and gastrointestinal health”. Food Chemistry, 157, 37-44, 2014.
36. [36] Tyagi AK, Malik A. “Antimicrobial potential and chemical composition of Mentha piperita oil in liquid and vapour phase against food spoiling microorganisms”. Food Control, 22(11), 1707-1714, 2011.
37. [37] Jordán MJ, Lax V, Rota MC, Lorán S, Sotomayor JA. “Effect of bioclimatic area on the essential oil composition and antibacterial activity of Rosmarinus officinalis L”. Food Control, 30(2), 463-468, 2013.