article · Molecules
Urinary tract infections are predominantly caused by Escherichia coli, and rising antibiotic resistance alongside biofilm formation presents major treatment challenges. This research assessed the antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of five medicinal plant essential oils against clinical E. coli isolates. Testing included disc diffusion, minimal inhibitory concentration determinations, and crystal violet assays, complemented by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of oil compositions. Three of the five oils exhibited antibacterial effects: Thymus zygis showed the greatest activity, followed by Origanum majorana and Rosmarinus officinalis, whereas Juniperus communis and Zingiber officinale were ineffective. In biofilm inhibition tests, reductions ranged between 14.94% and 94.75%. Rosmarinus officinalis produced the strongest antibiofilm activity, followed by Thymus zygis and Origanum majorana. Overall, these three active essential oils demonstrated potential as alternatives to conventional antibiotics for treating E. coli urinary tract infections.
Urinary tract infections are a frequent cause of illness and high healthcare expenditure, made worse by recurring infections driven by bacterial biofilms and rising drug resistance. Identifying natural plant products that can both suppress bacterial growth and disrupt protective biofilms offers a valuable starting point for developing alternative strategies to manage persistent bacterial infections.
This early-stage laboratory study highlights specific plant essential oils, particularly Thymus zygis and Rosmarinus officinalis, as candidates for formulating new antibacterial and antibiofilm treatments. Pharmaceutical developers and natural product formulators looking for alternatives to standard antibiotics could explore these active extracts, though the research remains at an in vitro stage and requires further development and testing before clinical or commercial use.
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Urinary tract infections (UTIs), caused by <i>Escherichia coli</i> 80% to 85% of the time, are one of the most important causes of morbidity and health care spending affecting persons of all ages. These infections lead to many difficult problems, especially increasing resistance to antibiotic drugs. Bacterial biofilms play an important role in UTIs, responsible for persistent infections leading to recurrences and relapses. In this study, we have investigated the antibacterial activity of five medicinal plant essential oils against UTIs caused by <i>E. coli</i> using disc diffusion and minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) methods. In addition, biofilm inhibitory action of oils was realized by crystal violet. Gas chromatography⁻mass spectrometry (GC⁻MS) analysis showed a variability between oils in terms of compound numbers as well as their percentages. Antibacterial activity was observed only in cases of <i>Origanum majorana</i>, <i>Thymus zygis</i> and <i>Rosmarinus officinalis</i>, while <i>Juniperus communis</i> and <i>Zingiber officinale</i> did not showed any effect towards <i>E. coli</i> isolates. <i>T. zygis</i> essential oil demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity against <i>E. coli</i> isolates, followed by <i>O. majorana</i> and <i>R. officinalis</i>. Further, oils showed high biofilm inhibitory action with a percentage of inhibition that ranged from 14.94% to 94.75%. <i>R. officinalis</i> oil had the highest antibiofilm activity followed by <i>T. zygis</i> and <i>O. majorana</i>. Accordingly, tested oils showed very effective antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against <i>E. coli</i> UTIs and can be considered as good alternative for antibiotics substitution.
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DOI: 10.3390/molecules24061161
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