ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS OF BASIL AND THYME ON CARIOGENIC BACTERIAL STRAINS: A SYSTEMATIC STUDY
Keywords:
Antibacterial activity,, Cariogenic bacteria,, Essential oils,, Ocimum citriodorum,, Thymus vulgarisAbstract
Dental caries has remained the most prevalent and costly oral infectious disease globally.
Although several techniques have been employed to prevent this biofilm-dependent
disease, many have failed including the use of available synthetic drugs. This current
study investigated the antibacterial activity of the essential oils (EOs) of Ocimum
citriodorum (Basil) and Thymus vulgaris (Thyme) against clinical bacteria of oral origin. The
chemical composition and antimicrobial attributes of the essential oils obtained from
the aerial parts of the plants have been well studied. Nine bacterial strains comprising, K.
pneumonia, E. coli, 2 strains of P. aeruginosa, B. licheniformis, S. aureus, L. acidophilus, and 2
strains of S. mutans were been study. Essential oils were extracted by hydro-distillation
Clevenger apparatus. Inhibitory zone dimension, and minimal inhibitory and minimal
bactericidal concentrations (MIC/MBC) were congruently determined using welldiffusion,
and broth microdilution methods. EO of Ocimum citriodorum showed
significant activity at 64 μl/mL dose against B. licheniformis and the 2 strains of S. mutans,
B. licheniformis, L. acidophilus, E. coli, but the 2 strains of S. mutans, and S. aureus were highly
susceptible at 128μl/mL dose as their MIC/MBC varied from 0.20 to 1.60 μl/mL, and
0.20 to 3.13 μl/mL respectively. For Thymus vulgaris EO, at 64 μl/mL only B. licheniformis
and S. aureus were susceptible. However, all the isolates except E. coli and the 2 strains of
S. mutans were sensitive at 128 μl/mL dose. The MIC/MBC values ranged from 0.20 to
0.40 in both cases. The use of essential oils from basil and thyme leaves may be a
plausible alternative in the prevention and treatment of cariogenic pathogens.
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