Antibacterial

There are many types of bacteria, and not all bacteria are bad. Some good bacteria in the body help aid in digestion and fight infection. Pathogenic bacteria can cause disease. Wikipedia does an excellent job of categorizing and listing the most common types of bacteria: Pathogenic Bacteria List.

Antibacterial herbs and essential oils can help destroy and/or prevent the growth and reproduction of bacteria. Most studies are in vitro; more human studies are needed.

Antibacterial Recipes

Herbal Infused All Purpose House Cleaner Recipe

Toothache Clove Oil Recipe

Blog Articles

Do Essential Oil Diffusers Really Work?

Green Cleaning

Natural Preservatives & Homemade Products

Peppermint as an Antimicrobial

Research on the Cinnamaldehyde Constituent

Rosemary for Skin Irritations

The Antibacterial Potential of Essential Oils

RESEARCH

The listings of research below represent a compilation of scientific articles found on the topic, with a very brief overview description of each article/study. This compilation of research articles does not necessarily imply that there are adequate results to demonstrate safe and/or effective human use of any herb listed.

GENERAL

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
A large number of essential oils tested showed a range of activity against the bacteria that cause foot odor. From: Orchard, A., Viljoen, A., & van Vuuren, S. (2018). Antimicrobial essential oil combinations to combat foot odour. Planta medica, 84(09/10), 662-673.
This article summarized antimicrobial research on essential oils with strong research on topical and antiseptic uses, as penetration enhancers, and in fighting medicine resistant species. From: Solórzano-Santos, F., & Miranda-Novales, M. G. (2012). Essential oils from aromatic herbs as antimicrobial agents. Current opinion in biotechnology, 23(2), 136-141.
A thorough review of research on the antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities of essential oils was provided. From: Reichling, J., Schnitzler, P., Suschke, U., & Saller, R. (2009). Essential oils of aromatic plants with antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and cytotoxic properties–an overview. Complementary Medicine Research, 16(2), 79-90.
Antibacterial abilities of 96 essential oils and their constituents were assessed. Marigold, ginger, jasmine, patchouli, gardenia, cedarwood, carrot seed, celery seed, mugwort, spikenard, and orange bitter oils along with the constituents of cinnamaldehyde, estragole, carvacrol, benzaldehyde, citral, thymol, eugenol, perillaldehyde, carvone R, and geranyl acetate were strongest against C. jejuni. Those most active against E. coli were oregano, thyme, cinnamon, palmarosa, bay leaf, clove bud, lemon grass, and allspice oils and the constituents: carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, thymol, eugenol, salicylaldehyde, geraniol, isoeugenol, citral, perillaldehyde, and estragole. Those most active against L. monocytogenes were gardenia, cedarwood, bay leaf, clove bud, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, thyme, and patchouli and the constituents of cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, thymol, carvacrol, citral, geraniol, perillaldehyde, carvone S, estragole, and salicylaldehyde. Those most active against S. enterica were thyme, oregano, cinnamon, clove bud, allspice, bay leaf, palmarosa, and marjoram oils as well as thymol, cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol, eugenol, salicylaldehyde, geraniol, isoeugenol, terpineol, perillaldehyde, and estragole. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., & Mandrell, R. E. (2002). Bactericidal activities of plant essential oils and some of their isolated constituents against Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica. Journal of Food Protection®, 65(10), 1545-1560.

AJOWAN

Sixty-five bacteria were tested against 13 essential oils. Cinnamon bark, cinnamon leaf, oregano, thyme, ajowan, and clove showed strong antibacterial activity. From: Mayaud, L., Carricajo, A., Zhiri, A., & Aubert, G. (2008). Comparison of bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of 13 essential oils against strains with varying sensitivity to antibiotics. Letters in applied microbiology, 47(3), 167-173.
Leaves from ajowan demonstrated antibacterial activity in vitro against gram negeative bacterial. From: Sayeed, M., Patchigalla, J. R. P., Oggu, R., Srinivas, R. R. P., Pajjuru, S. N., Bakshi, V., & Boggula, N. (2018). Anti Bacterial and Phytochemical Screening of Trachyspermum Ammi–An In Vitro Approach. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences (IRJPMS), 1(4), 40-45.

ALDER

Alnus rubra bark and catkins (red alder), Fragaria chiloensis leaves (strawberry), Moneses uniflora aerial parts, and Rhus glabra branches (sumac) showed the strongest antibacterial activity against 11 strains tested. From: McCutcheon, A. R., Ellis, S. M., Hancock, R. E. W., & Towers, G. H. N. (1992). Antibiotic screening of medicinal plants of the British Columbian native peoples. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 37(3), 213-223.

ALLSPICE

Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.

ALOE

Aloe gel showed antimicrobial activity, especially against gram-negative bacteria and resistant strains of A. niger. From: Cock, I. E. (2008). Antimicrobial activity of Aloe barbadensis Miller leaf gel components. The Internet Journal of Microbiology, 4(2), 17.
Aloe plant extracts showed antimicrobial activity against a variety of tested pathogenic bacteria and fungi. From: Arunkumar, S., & Muthuselvam, M. (2009). Analysis of phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activities of Aloe vera L. against clinical pathogens. World Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 5(5), 572-576.
Aloe gel was active against S. flexneri and S. pyogenes. From: Ferro, V. A., Bradbury, F., Cameron, P., Shakir, E., Rahman, S. R., & Stimson, W. H. (2003). In vitro susceptibilities of Shigella flexneri and Streptococcus pyogenes to inner gel of Aloe barbadensis Miller. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 47(3), 1137-1139.

ANGELICA

A blend with burdock (Arctium lappa ), angelica (Angelica sinensis ), gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon ), and sesame oil (Sesamum indicum ) reduced Helicobacter pylori gastro-bacterial infection in this eight week double blind study with 36 subjects. It reduced inflammation and adhesion activities of the bacteria. From: Yen, C. H., Chiu, H. F., Huang, S. Y., Lu, Y. Y., Han, Y. C., Shen, Y. C., … & Wang, C. K. (2018). Beneficial effect of Burdock complex on asymptomatic Helicobacter pylori‐infected subjects: A randomized, double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Helicobacter, 23(3), e12469.
Essential oil from angelica root had strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. From: Aćimović, M. G., Pavlović, S. Đ., Varga, A. O., Filipović, V. M., Cvetković, M. T., Stanković, J. M., & Čabarkapa, I. S. (2017). Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Angelica archangelica root essential oil. Natural product communications, 12(2), 1934578X1701200216.

ASHWAGANDHA

Ashwagandha plant root and leaves possessed strong antibacterial activity against a range of bacteria in vitro. From: Owais, M., Sharad, K. S., Shehbaz, A., & Saleemuddin, M. (2005). Antibacterial efficacy of Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) an indigenous medicinal plant against experimental murine salmonellosis. Phytomedicine, 12(3), 229-235.

BASIL

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
Oregano, basil, and thyme exhibited antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activity. Oregano was effective against multiresistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. From: Bozin, B., Mimica-Dukic, N., Simin, N., & Anackov, G. (2006). Characterization of the volatile composition of essential oils of some Lamiaceae spices and the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the entire oils. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 54(5), 1822-1828.
Basil, clove, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme exhibited antibacterial activities on a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Yano, Y., Satomi, M., & Oikawa, H. (2006). Antimicrobial effect of spices and herbs on Vibrio parahaemolyticus. International journal of food microbiology, 111(1), 6-11.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.

BAY

Thyme, mint, and bay showed activity against food poisoning bacteria: Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Aktuğ, Ş. E., & Karapinar, M. (1986). Sensitivity of some common food-poisoning bacteria to thyme, mint and bay leaves. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 3(6), 349-354.
Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.

BERGAMOT

Bergamot and its linalool constituent were most effective against bacteria that can cause food poisoning. From: Fisher, K., & Phillips, C. A. (2006). The effect of lemon, orange and bergamot essential oils and their components on the survival of Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus in vitro and in food systems. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 101(6), 1232-1240.

BILBERRY

Extracts of raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, elderberry, blueberry, and bilberry inhibited Helicobacter pylori in vitro. From: Chatterjee, A., Yasmin, T., Bagchi, D., & Stohs, S. J. (2004). Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori in vitro by various berry extracts, with enhanced susceptibility to clarithromycin. Molecular and cellular biochemistry, 265(1), 19-26.

BURDOCK

A blend with burdock (Arctium lappa ), angelica (Angelica sinensis ), gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon ), and sesame oil (Sesamum indicum ) reduced Helicobacter pylori gastro-bacterial infection in this eight week double blind study with 36 subjects. It reduced inflammation and adhesion activities of the bacteria. From: Yen, C. H., Chiu, H. F., Huang, S. Y., Lu, Y. Y., Han, Y. C., Shen, Y. C., … & Wang, C. K. (2018). Beneficial effect of Burdock complex on asymptomatic Helicobacter pylori‐infected subjects: A randomized, double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Helicobacter, 23(3), e12469.
Extracts from burdock were effective in vitro against tested mouth bacteria. From: Gentil, M., Pereira, J. V., Sousa, Y. T., Pietro, R., Neto, M. D. S., Vansan, L. P., & de Castro França, S. (2006). In vitro evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Arctium lappa as a phytotherapeutic agent used in intracanal dressings. Phytotherapy research, 20(3), 184-186.
Arctium lappa showed antimicrobial activity against endodontic pathogens. From: Pereira, J. V., Bergamo, D. C. B., Pereira, J. O., França, S. D. C., Pietro, R. C. L. R., & Silva-Sousa, Y. T. C. (2005). Antimicrobial activity of Arctium lappa constituents against microorganisms commonly found in endodontic infections. Brazilian dental journal, 16(3), 192-196.

CAJUPUT

Australian tea tree oil, cajuput, niaouli, lema, kanuka, and manuka showed antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus. From: Christoph, F., Stahl-Biskup, E., & Kaulfers, P. M. (2001). Death kinetics of Staphylococcus aureus exposed to commercial tea tree oils sl. Journal of Essential Oil Research, 13(2), 98-102.

CAMPHOR

Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.

CARAWAY

Patchouli, caraway, and geranium showed antibacterial action against S. aureus isolated from skin lesions of infected people. From: Kwiatkowski, P., Mnichowska-Polanowska, M., Pruss, A., Dzięcioł, M., & Masiuk, H. (2017). Experimental Paper. Activity of essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from skin lesions in the course of staphylococcal skin infections. Herba Polonica, 63(1), 43-52.

CARDAMOM

Anethum graveolens, Elettaria cardamomum, Foeniculum vulgare, Trachyspermum ammi and Viola odorata were effective against tested pathogenic bacteria. From: Arora, D. S., & Kaur, G. J. (2007). Antibacterial activity of some Indian medicinal plants. Journal of natural medicines, 61(3), 313-317.

CARROT SEED

Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.
Blends with Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Daucus carota, Eucalyptus globulus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Syzygium aromaticum, and Origanum vulgare showed in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities against antibiotic resistant pathogens, candida strains, and both the H1N1 and HSV1 viruses. From: Brochot, A., Guilbot, A., Haddioui, L., & Roques, C. (2017). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. MicrobiologyOpen, 6(4), e00459.

CILANTRO

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).

CORIANDER

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).

CHAMOMILE

These sesquiterpenoids sensitized bacteria to antibacterial drugs and may be useful as a combination treatment: nerolidol, bisabolol, apritone, and farnesol. From: Brehm-Stecher, B. F., & Johnson, E. A. (2003). Sensitization of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to antibiotics by the sesquiterpenoids nerolidol, farnesol, bisabolol, and apritone. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 47(10), 3357-3360.
Althaea officinalis (marshmallow) and Matricaria recutita (German chamomile) had bactericide and bacteriostatic effects against tested bacteria. From: Zarei, B., Saifi, T., Fazeli, A., Khodadadi, E., & Namavar, A. (2013). Evaluation of Antibacterial effects of marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) On four strains of bacteria. International Journal of Agriculture and Crop Sciences, 5(14), 1571.
Roman chamomile extracts and essential oil were effective in vitro against bacterial strains that cause oral gingivitis and periodontitis. From: Saderi, H., Owlia, P., Hosseini, A., & Semiyari, H. (2003, February). Antimicrobial effects of chamomile extract and essential oil on clinically isolated Porphyromonas gingivalis from periodontitis. In III WOCMAP Congress on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants-Volume 6: Traditional Medicine and Nutraceuticals 680 (pp. 145-146).

CILANTRO

Leaf and stem extracts from parsley and cilantro showed antioxidant and antibacterial activities in vitro. From: Wong, P. Y., & Kitts, D. D. (2006). Studies on the dual antioxidant and antibacterial properties of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) extracts. Food chemistry, 97(3), 505-515.

CINNAMON

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
In a mega-analysis of over 500 studies on essential oil antimicrobial activity, spices and herbs of thyme, origanum, mint, cinnamon, salvia and clove had the strongest antimicrobial properties. From: Kalemba, D., & Kunicka, A. (2003). Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils. Current medicinal chemistry, 10(10), 813-829.
This mega analysis reviewed studies of essential oils as antibacterials in food. Several effective constituents included carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, perillaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid. These had minimum inhibitory concentrations with some having synergism such as carvacrol and p-cymene, cinnamaldehyde and eugenol, and between EO components and mild preservation methods. From: Burt, S. (2004). Essential oils: their antibacterial properties and potential applications in foods—a review. International journal of food microbiology, 94(3), 223-253.
Lemongrass, palmarosa, cinnamon, and rosemary essential oils showed antimicrobial activity against antibiotic resistant organisms. From: Narayanasamy, K., Elangovan, E., Keerthi, D., Jagadeeswari, S., Krithiga, B., Padmanabhan, V., & Periyasamy, S. (2019). Antimicrobial activity of selected essential oils against antibiotic resistant organisms. Asian Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 5(3), 503-512.
Against meat bacteria in food: thyme, garlic and cinnamon showed the most antimicrobial activity. From: García-Díez, J., Alheiro, J., Falco, V., Fraqueza, M. J., & Patarata, L. (2016). Chemical characterization and antimicrobial properties of herbs and spices essential oils against pathogens and spoilage bacteria associated to dry-cured meat products. Journal of Essential Oil Research, 1-9.
Sixty-five bacteria were tested against 13 essential oils. Cinnamon bark, cinnamon leaf, oregano, thyme, ajowan, and clove showed strong antibacterial activity. From: Mayaud, L., Carricajo, A., Zhiri, A., & Aubert, G. (2008). Comparison of bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of 13 essential oils against strains with varying sensitivity to antibiotics. Letters in applied microbiology, 47(3), 167-173.
This study explained the antibacterial action of cinnamon and its major component, trans-cinnamaldehyde. From: Meades, G., Henken, R. L., Waldrop, G. L., Rahman, M. M., Gilman, S. D., Kamatou, G. P., … & Gibbons, S. (2010). Constituents of cinnamon inhibit bacterial acetyl CoA carboxylase. Planta medica, 76(14), 1570-1575.
ourteen essential oils were tested against multiple bacteria and cinnamon bark, lemongrass and thyme oils showed the lowest minimal inhibitory dose. From: Inouye, S., Takizawa, T., & Yamaguchi, H. (2001). Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact. Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, 47(5), 565-573.
Cinnamon, clove, and thyme oils inhibited the bacteria: Aeromonas hydrophila. From: Fabio, A., Corona, A., Forte, E., & Quaglio, P. (2003). Inhibitory activity of spices and essential oils on psychrotrophic bacteria. The new microbiologica, 26(1), 115-120.
The following essential oils and their constituents in order of effectiveness were active against pathogens in apple juice: against E. coli: carvacrol, oregano oil, geraniol, eugenol, cinnamon leaf oil, citral, clove bud oil, lemongrass oil, cinnamon bark oil, and lemon oil, and against S. enterica: melissa oil, carvacrol, oregano oil, terpeineol, geraniol, lemon oil, citral, lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and linalool. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., Levin, C. E., & Mandrell, R. E. (2004). Antibacterial activities of plant essential oils and their components against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella enterica in apple juice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(19), 6042-6048.
Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.
Cinnamon, lemon thyme, thyme, honey myrtle, lavender, and fragonia demonstrated varying degrees of antibacterial activity against multiple tested pathogens. From: Durmic, Z., McSweeney, C. S., Kemp, G. W., Hutton, P., Wallace, R. J., & Vercoe, P. E. (2008). Australian plants with potential to inhibit bacteria and processes involved in ruminal biohydrogenation of fatty acids. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145(1-4), 271-284.
Essential oils from Anethum graveolens, Azadirachta indica, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and leaves of Pongamia pinnata were effective against eleven pathogenic bacteria, but none were effective against Shigella spp. From: Chaurasia, S. C., & Jain, P. C. (1978). Antibacterial activity of essential oils of four medicinal plants. Indian J. Hosp. Pharm., 15(6), 166-168.
Blends with Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Daucus carota, Eucalyptus globulus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Syzygium aromaticum, and Origanum vulgare showed in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities against antibiotic resistant pathogens, candida strains, and both the H1N1 and HSV1 viruses. From: Brochot, A., Guilbot, A., Haddioui, L., & Roques, C. (2017). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. MicrobiologyOpen, 6(4), e00459.

CITRONELLA

The combination of Cymbopogon flexuosus and Cymbopogon nardus essential oils showed high antibacterial activity against six bacteria. From: Wahab, N. A. A., Muhamad, H. S., Alhadi, N. A., Radzi, S. M., Rehan, M. M., & Noor, H. M. (2018). Combination Effects of Cymbopogon sp. Essential Oil on Selected Bacteria. Malaysian Journal of Science Health & Technology, 1(1).

CLARY SAGE

Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.

CLOVE

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
In a mega-analysis of over 500 studies on essential oil antimicrobial activity, spices and herbs of thyme, origanum, mint, cinnamon, salvia and clove had the strongest antimicrobial properties. From: Kalemba, D., & Kunicka, A. (2003). Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils. Current medicinal chemistry, 10(10), 813-829.
Sixty-five bacteria were tested against 13 essential oils. Cinnamon bark, cinnamon leaf, oregano, thyme, ajowan, and clove showed strong antibacterial activity. From: Mayaud, L., Carricajo, A., Zhiri, A., & Aubert, G. (2008). Comparison of bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of 13 essential oils against strains with varying sensitivity to antibiotics. Letters in applied microbiology, 47(3), 167-173.
Basil, clove, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme exhibited antibacterial activities on a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Yano, Y., Satomi, M., & Oikawa, H. (2006). Antimicrobial effect of spices and herbs on Vibrio parahaemolyticus. International journal of food microbiology, 111(1), 6-11.
Cinnamon, clove, and thyme oils inhibited the bacteria: Aeromonas hydrophila. From: Fabio, A., Corona, A., Forte, E., & Quaglio, P. (2003). Inhibitory activity of spices and essential oils on psychrotrophic bacteria. The new microbiologica, 26(1), 115-120.
The following essential oils and their constituents in order of effectiveness were active against pathogens in apple juice: against E. coli: carvacrol, oregano oil, geraniol, eugenol, cinnamon leaf oil, citral, clove bud oil, lemongrass oil, cinnamon bark oil, and lemon oil, and against S. enterica: melissa oil, carvacrol, oregano oil, terpeineol, geraniol, lemon oil, citral, lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and linalool. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., Levin, C. E., & Mandrell, R. E. (2004). Antibacterial activities of plant essential oils and their components against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella enterica in apple juice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(19), 6042-6048.
Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.
Blends with Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Daucus carota, Eucalyptus globulus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Syzygium aromaticum, and Origanum vulgare showed in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities against antibiotic resistant pathogens, candida strains, and both the H1N1 and HSV1 viruses. From: Brochot, A., Guilbot, A., Haddioui, L., & Roques, C. (2017). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. MicrobiologyOpen, 6(4), e00459.

COLEUS

Extracts from the leaves of Coleus forskohlii (coleus), Pogostemon patchouli (patchouli) and Tecoma stans showed broad spectrum antibacterial activity. From: Senthilkumar, C. S., Kumar, M. S., & Pandian, M. R. (2010). In Vitro Antibacterial activity of crude leaf extracts from tecoma stans (L) Juss. et Kunth, Coleus Forskohlii and Pogostemon Patchouli against human pathogenic bacteria. International Journal of PharmTech Research, 2(1), 438-442.

CRANBERRY

Extracts of raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, elderberry, blueberry, and bilberry inhibited Helicobacter pylori in vitro. From: Chatterjee, A., Yasmin, T., Bagchi, D., & Stohs, S. J. (2004). Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori in vitro by various berry extracts, with enhanced susceptibility to clarithromycin. Molecular and cellular biochemistry, 265(1), 19-26.

CUMIN

From 22 essential oils tested, cornmint, cumin, laurel, lemon peel, orange, oregano, and Ziziphora were active against all assessed bacteria From: Kivanç, M., & Akgül, A. (1986). Antibacterial activities of essential oils from Turkish spices and citrus. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 1(4‐5), 175-179.

CURRY

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).

CYPRESS

Along with other Yemen plants tested, Cupressus sempervirens (cypress), demonstrated a growth inhibitory effect against all cancer cell lines tested, was active against gram positive bacteria, and showed noteworthy radical scavenging activity. From: Mothana, R. A. A., Gruenert, R., Bednarski, P. J., & Lindequist, U. (2009). Evaluation of the in vitro anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of some Yemeni plants used in folk medicine. Die Pharmazie-An International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 64(4), 260-268.
Cypress extracts were antibacterial in vitro against the following: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhimurium. From: Chaudhary, H. J., Shahid, W., Bano, A., Ullah, F., Munis, F., Fahad, S., & Ahmad, I. (2012). In vitro analysis of Cupressus sempervirens L. plant extracts antibaterial activity. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 6(2), 273-276.
Extracts and essential oils from Cupressus sempervirens were antibacterial in vitro against food spoilage pathogens. From: Selim, S. A., Adam, M. E., Hassan, S. M., & Albalawi, A. R. (2014). Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of the essential oil and methanol extract of the Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.). BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 14(1), 179.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.

DILL

Spearmint and dill were effective against the bacteria against Enterobacter cloacae with carvone and piperitone being active constituents. From: Rafii, F., & Shahverdi, A. R. (2006). Comparison of essential oils from three plants for enhancement of antimicrobial activity of nitrofurantoin against enterobacteria. Chemotherapy, 53(1), 21-25.
The following plant extracts were tested for their antibacterial effect against common pathogens: Commiphora wightii, Hibiscus cannabinus, Anethum gravelons, Emblica officinalis, Ficus religiosa, Ficus racemosa, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus tisela, Mentha arvensis and Mimusops elengi. From: Nair, R., & CHANDA, S. (2007). Antibacterial activities of some medicinal plants of the western region of India. Turkish Journal of Biology, 31(4), 231-236.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.
Essential oils from Anethum graveolens, Azadirachta indica, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and leaves of Pongamia pinnata were effective against eleven pathogenic bacteria, but none were effective against Shigella spp. From: Chaurasia, S. C., & Jain, P. C. (1978). Antibacterial activity of essential oils of four medicinal plants. Indian J. Hosp. Pharm., 15(6), 166-168.
Anethum graveolens, Elettaria cardamomum, Foeniculum vulgare, Trachyspermum ammi and Viola odorata were effective against tested pathogenic bacteria. From: Arora, D. S., & Kaur, G. J. (2007). Antibacterial activity of some Indian medicinal plants. Journal of natural medicines, 61(3), 313-317.

ELDERBERRY

Extracts of raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, elderberry, blueberry, and bilberry inhibited Helicobacter pylori in vitro. From: Chatterjee, A., Yasmin, T., Bagchi, D., & Stohs, S. J. (2004). Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori in vitro by various berry extracts, with enhanced susceptibility to clarithromycin. Molecular and cellular biochemistry, 265(1), 19-26.

EUCALYPTUS

Thymus vulgaris and Eucalyptus globulus showed antibacterial activity against Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other tested bacterial strains. From: Tohidpour, A., Sattari, M., Omidbaigi, R., Yadegar, A., & Nazemi, J. (2010). Antibacterial effect of essential oils from two medicinal plants against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Phytomedicine, 17(2), 142-145.
Orange, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rosemary, purified turpentine, thyme, and Australian tea tree oil as well as the constituent of menthol showed antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities against the bacteria tested. From: Schelz, Z., Molnar, J., & Hohmann, J. (2006). Antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities of essential oils. Fitoterapia, 77(4), 279-285.
Palmarosa, lemongrass, peppermint, and eucalyptus were bactericidal against Escherichia coli. From: Pattnaik, S., Subramanyam, V. R., & Rath, C. C. (1994). Effect of essential oils on the viability and morphology of Escherichia coli (SP-11). Microbios, 84(340), 195-199.
Essential oils of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Mentha spicata significantly retard dental biofilm formation. From: Rasooli, I., Shayegh, S., & Astaneh, S. D. A. (2009). The effect of Mentha spicata and Eucalyptus camaldulensis essential oils on dental biofilm. International journal of dental hygiene, 7(3), 196-203.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.
Blends with Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Daucus carota, Eucalyptus globulus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Syzygium aromaticum, and Origanum vulgare showed in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities against antibiotic resistant pathogens, candida strains, and both the H1N1 and HSV1 viruses. From: Brochot, A., Guilbot, A., Haddioui, L., & Roques, C. (2017). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. MicrobiologyOpen, 6(4), e00459.

FENNEL

Orange, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rosemary, purified turpentine, thyme, and Australian tea tree oil as well as the constituent of menthol showed antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities against the bacteria tested. From: Schelz, Z., Molnar, J., & Hohmann, J. (2006). Antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities of essential oils. Fitoterapia, 77(4), 279-285.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.
Anethum graveolens, Elettaria cardamomum, Foeniculum vulgare, Trachyspermum ammi and Viola odorata were effective against tested pathogenic bacteria. From: Arora, D. S., & Kaur, G. J. (2007). Antibacterial activity of some Indian medicinal plants. Journal of natural medicines, 61(3), 313-317.

FRAGONIA

Cinnamon, lemon thyme, thyme, honey myrtle, lavender, and fragonia demonstrated varying degrees of antibacterial activity against multiple tested pathogens. From: Durmic, Z., McSweeney, C. S., Kemp, G. W., Hutton, P., Wallace, R. J., & Vercoe, P. E. (2008). Australian plants with potential to inhibit bacteria and processes involved in ruminal biohydrogenation of fatty acids. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145(1-4), 271-284.

GARLIC

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
Against meat bacteria in food: thyme, garlic and cinnamon showed the most antimicrobial activity. From: García-Díez, J., Alheiro, J., Falco, V., Fraqueza, M. J., & Patarata, L. (2016). Chemical characterization and antimicrobial properties of herbs and spices essential oils against pathogens and spoilage bacteria associated to dry-cured meat products. Journal of Essential Oil Research, 1-9.
Garlic showed activity against human enteric bacteria. From: Ross, Z. M., O’Gara, E. A., Hill, D. J., Sleightholme, H. V., & Maslin, D. J. (2001). Antimicrobial properties of garlic oil against human enteric bacteria: evaluation of methodologies and comparisons with garlic oil sulfides and garlic powder. Applied and environmental microbiology, 67(1), 475-480.
Basil, clove, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme exhibited antibacterial activities on a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Yano, Y., Satomi, M., & Oikawa, H. (2006). Antimicrobial effect of spices and herbs on Vibrio parahaemolyticus. International journal of food microbiology, 111(1), 6-11.
Garlic extract inhibited oral bacteria. From: Bakri, I. M., & Douglas, C. W. I. (2005). Inhibitory effect of garlic extract on oral bacteria. Archives of Oral Biology, 50(7), 645-651.

GERANIUM

A formulation containing Oliveria decumbens and Pelargonium graveolens essential oils improved healing of Staphylococcus aureus infected wounds in mice. From: Mahboubi, M., Feizabadi, M. M., Khamechian, T., Kazempour, N., Zadeh, M. R., Sasani, F., & Bekhradi, M. (2016). The effect of Oliveria decumbens and Pelargonium graveolens on healing of infected skin wounds in mice. World journal of plastic surgery, 5(3), 259.
Orange, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rosemary, purified turpentine, thyme, and Australian tea tree oil as well as the constituent of menthol showed antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities against the bacteria tested. From: Schelz, Z., Molnar, J., & Hohmann, J. (2006). Antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities of essential oils. Fitoterapia, 77(4), 279-285.
The following essential oils and their constituents in order of effectiveness were active against pathogens in apple juice: against E. coli: carvacrol, oregano oil, geraniol, eugenol, cinnamon leaf oil, citral, clove bud oil, lemongrass oil, cinnamon bark oil, and lemon oil, and against S. enterica: melissa oil, carvacrol, oregano oil, terpeineol, geraniol, lemon oil, citral, lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and linalool. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., Levin, C. E., & Mandrell, R. E. (2004). Antibacterial activities of plant essential oils and their components against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella enterica in apple juice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(19), 6042-6048.
Lemongrass, palmarosa, lavender and rose scented geranium showed in vitro activity against pathogenic vaginal microorganisms. From: Schwiertz, A., Duttke, C., Hild, J., & Mueller, H. J. (2006). In vitro activity of essential oils on microorganisms isolated from vaginal infections. International Journal of Aromatherapy, 16(3), 169-174.
Rose, geranium, lavender and rosemary oils were the most potent QS inhibitors, destabilize bacterial communities studied. From: Szabó, M. Á., Varga, G. Z., Hohmann, J., Schelz, Z., Szegedi, E., Amaral, L., & Molnár, J. (2010). Inhibition of quorum‐sensing signals by essential oils. Phytotherapy research, 24(5), 782-786.
Multiple varieties of geranium species were tested in vitro and showed antibacterial activity. Tested species included: Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus Epidermidis. From: Lis‐Balchin, M., Buchbauer, G., Ribisch, K., & Wenger, M. T. (1998). Comparative antibacterial effects of novel Pelargonium essential oils and solvent extracts. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 27(3), 135-141.
Root extracts from two Pelargonium species were antibacterial and antifungal against tested pathogenic microbes. From: Mativandlela, S. P. N., Lall, N., & Meyer, J. J. M. (2006). Antibacterial, antifungal and antitubercular activity of (the roots of) Pelargonium reniforme (CURT) and Pelargonium sidoides (DC)(Geraniaceae) root extracts. South African Journal of Botany, 72(2), 232-237.
Patchouli, caraway, and geranium showed antibacterial action against S. aureus isolated from skin lesions of infected people. From: Kwiatkowski, P., Mnichowska-Polanowska, M., Pruss, A., Dzięcioł, M., & Masiuk, H. (2017). Experimental Paper. Activity of essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from skin lesions in the course of staphylococcal skin infections. Herba Polonica, 63(1), 43-52.

GINGER

Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.

GRAPEFRUIT

Orange, grapefruit, mandarin, and tangerine essential oils demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial actions in vitro. From: Javed, S., Javaid, A., Nawaz, S., Saeed, M. K., Mahmood, Z., Siddiqui, S. Z., & Ahmad, R. (2014). Phytochemistry, GC-MS analysis, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of essential oil from five citrus species. Journal of Agricultural Science, 6(3), 201.
Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.
Various extracts of grapefruit peel were antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal against tested pathogenic disease organisms. From: Okunowo, W. O., Oyedeji, O., Afolabi, L. O., & Matanmi, E. (2013). Essential oil of grape fruit (Citrus paradisi) peels and its antimicrobial activities. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 4(07), 1.

HELICHRYSUM

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
Juniper and helichrysum essential oils had a combined activity against two mycobacterium in vitro. From: Peruč, D., Tićac, B., Abram, M., Broznić, D., Štifter, S., Staver, M. M., & Gobin, I. (2019). Synergistic potential of Juniperus communis and Helichrysum italicum essential oils against nontuberculous mycobacteria. Journal of medical microbiology, 68(5), 703-710.
Essential oil from H. italicum demonstrated antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial against multiople tested pathogens in vitro. From: Oliva, A., Garzoli, S., Sabatino, M., Tadić, V., Costantini, S., Ragno, R., & Božović, M. (2018). Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don fil.(Asteraceae) from Montenegro. Natural product research, 1-4.

HIBISCUS

The following plant extracts were tested for their antibacterial effect against common pathogens: Commiphora wightii, Hibiscus cannabinus, Anethum gravelons, Emblica officinalis, Ficus religiosa, Ficus racemosa, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus tisela, Mentha arvensis and Mimusops elengi. From: Nair, R., & CHANDA, S. (2007). Antibacterial activities of some medicinal plants of the western region of India. Turkish Journal of Biology, 31(4), 231-236.

HONEYSUCKLE

The following plant extracts were effective to treat skin infection from S. aureus bacteria: Lonicera alpigena (alpine honeysuckle), Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut), Juglans regia (walnut), Ballota nigra (black horehound), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), Leopoldia comosa (hyacinth), Malva sylvestris (mallow), Cyclamen hederifolium (cyclamen), Rosa canina (dog rose), and Rubus ulmifolius (blackberry). Quave, C. L., Plano, L. R., Pantuso, T., & Bennett, B. C. (2008). Effects of extracts from Italian medicinal plants on planktonic growth, biofilm formation and adherence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 118(3), 418-428.

HOPS

Hops showed in vitro activity agains bacteria that cause body odor and reduced underarm odor in a clinical evaluation. From: Dumas, E. R., Michaud, A. E., Bergeron, C., Lafrance, J. L., Mortillo, S., & Gafner, S. (2009). Deodorant effects of a supercritical hops extract: antibacterial activity against Corynebacterium xerosis and Staphylococcus epidermidis and efficacy testing of a hops/zinc ricinoleate stick in humans through the sensory evaluation of axillary deodorancy. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 8(3), 197-204.

HOREHOUND

The following plant extracts were effective to treat skin infection from S. aureus bacteria: Lonicera alpigena (alpine honeysuckle), Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut), Juglans regia (walnut), Ballota nigra (black horehound), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), Leopoldia comosa (hyacinth), Malva sylvestris (mallow), Cyclamen hederifolium (cyclamen), Rosa canina (dog rose), and Rubus ulmifolius (blackberry). Quave, C. L., Plano, L. R., Pantuso, T., & Bennett, B. C. (2008). Effects of extracts from Italian medicinal plants on planktonic growth, biofilm formation and adherence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 118(3), 418-428.

HORSERADISH

Basil, clove, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme exhibited antibacterial activities on a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Yano, Y., Satomi, M., & Oikawa, H. (2006). Antimicrobial effect of spices and herbs on Vibrio parahaemolyticus. International journal of food microbiology, 111(1), 6-11.

JASMINE

Jasminum sambac showed antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antibacterial activity in vitro. From: Abdoul-Latif, F., Edou, P., Eba, F., Mohamed, N., Ali, A., Djama, S., … & Dicko, M. (2010). Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oil and methanol extract of Jasminum sambac from Djibouti. African Journal of Plant Science, 4(3), 38-43.

JUNIPER

Orange, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rosemary, purified turpentine, thyme, and Australian tea tree oil as well as the constituent of menthol showed antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities against the bacteria tested. From: Schelz, Z., Molnar, J., & Hohmann, J. (2006). Antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities of essential oils. Fitoterapia, 77(4), 279-285.
Juniper and helichrysum essential oils had a combined activity against two mycobacterium in vitro. From: Peruč, D., Tićac, B., Abram, M., Broznić, D., Štifter, S., Staver, M. M., & Gobin, I. (2019). Synergistic potential of Juniperus communis and Helichrysum italicum essential oils against nontuberculous mycobacteria. Journal of medical microbiology, 68(5), 703-710.
Juniper berry extracts were effective against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria in vitro. From: Akhtar, S., Rauf, A., Rehman, S., & Siddiqui, M. Z. (2019). Antibacterial Screening of Aqueous, Alcoholic and Hydroalcoholic extracts of a Unani drug Abhal (Fruits of Juniperus communis). Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics, 9(4-s), 48-53.

KANUKA

Manuka and kanuka essential oils showed antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory activity in vitro, and may be effective against human infectious microorganisms. From: Chen, C. C., Yan, S. H., Yen, M. Y., Wu, P. F., Liao, W. T., Huang, T. S., … & Wang, H. M. D. (2016). Investigations of kanuka and manuka essential oils for in vitro treatment of disease and cellular inflammation caused by infectious microorganisms. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, 49(1), 104-111.
Australian tea tree oil, cajuput, niaouli, lema, kanuka, and manuka showed antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus. From: Christoph, F., Stahl-Biskup, E., & Kaulfers, P. M. (2001). Death kinetics of Staphylococcus aureus exposed to commercial tea tree oils sl. Journal of Essential Oil Research, 13(2), 98-102.

KUNZEA

Kunzea essential oil showed in vitro antimicrobial activity, some mosquito repelling activity in humans, and may be useful in treating skin fungal and bacterial infections based on a study on horses. From: Thomas, J. (2012). Kunzea oil: investigation of composition, bioactivity and therapeitic potential (Doctoral dissertation, University of Tasmania).

LAUREL

From 22 essential oils tested, cornmint, cumin, laurel, lemon peel, orange, oregano, and Ziziphora were active against all assessed bacteria From: Kivanç, M., & Akgül, A. (1986). Antibacterial activities of essential oils from Turkish spices and citrus. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 1(4‐5), 175-179.

LAVENDER

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
Thymus fontanessi (thyme), Origanum glandulosum (oregano), Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal), and Lavandula stoechas (lavender) were antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA). Carvacrol, thymol, pulegone, fenchone, and camphor were the strongest constituents. From: Bekka-Hadji, F., Bombarda, I., & Touati, A. (2016). Antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus of five essential oils from Algerian medicinal plants (Lamiaceae). Journal of Essential Oil Research, 1-10.
Lemongrass, palmarosa, lavender and rose scented geranium showed in vitro activity against pathogenic vaginal microorganisms. From: Schwiertz, A., Duttke, C., Hild, J., & Mueller, H. J. (2006). In vitro activity of essential oils on microorganisms isolated from vaginal infections. International Journal of Aromatherapy, 16(3), 169-174.
Rose, geranium, lavender and rosemary oils were the most potent QS inhibitors, destabilize bacterial communities studied. From: Szabó, M. Á., Varga, G. Z., Hohmann, J., Schelz, Z., Szegedi, E., Amaral, L., & Molnár, J. (2010). Inhibition of quorum‐sensing signals by essential oils. Phytotherapy research, 24(5), 782-786.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.
Cinnamon, lemon thyme, thyme, honey myrtle, lavender, and fragonia demonstrated varying degrees of antibacterial activity against multiple tested pathogens. From: Durmic, Z., McSweeney, C. S., Kemp, G. W., Hutton, P., Wallace, R. J., & Vercoe, P. E. (2008). Australian plants with potential to inhibit bacteria and processes involved in ruminal biohydrogenation of fatty acids. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145(1-4), 271-284.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.

LEMON

From 22 essential oils tested, cornmint, cumin, laurel, lemon peel, orange, oregano, and Ziziphora were active against all assessed bacteria From: Kivanç, M., & Akgül, A. (1986). Antibacterial activities of essential oils from Turkish spices and citrus. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 1(4‐5), 175-179.
The following essential oils and their constituents in order of effectiveness were active against pathogens in apple juice: against E. coli: carvacrol, oregano oil, geraniol, eugenol, cinnamon leaf oil, citral, clove bud oil, lemongrass oil, cinnamon bark oil, and lemon oil, and against S. enterica: melissa oil, carvacrol, oregano oil, terpeineol, geraniol, lemon oil, citral, lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and linalool. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., Levin, C. E., & Mandrell, R. E. (2004). Antibacterial activities of plant essential oils and their components against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella enterica in apple juice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(19), 6042-6048.
Citrus essential oils showed a variety of effectiveness against foodborne pathogens in vitro. From: Restuccia, C., Conti, G. O., Zuccarello, P., Parafati, L., Cristaldi, A., & Ferrante, M. (2019). Efficacy of different citrus essential oils to inhibit the growth and B1 aflatoxin biosynthesis of Aspergillus flavus. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1-10.

LEMONGRASS

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
Lemongrass, palmarosa, cinnamon, and rosemary essential oils showed antimicrobial activity against antibiotic resistant organisms. From: Narayanasamy, K., Elangovan, E., Keerthi, D., Jagadeeswari, S., Krithiga, B., Padmanabhan, V., & Periyasamy, S. (2019). Antimicrobial activity of selected essential oils against antibiotic resistant organisms. Asian Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 5(3), 503-512.
Palmarosa, lemongrass, peppermint, and eucalyptus were bactericidal against Escherichia coli. From: Pattnaik, S., Subramanyam, V. R., & Rath, C. C. (1994). Effect of essential oils on the viability and morphology of Escherichia coli (SP-11). Microbios, 84(340), 195-199.
ourteen essential oils were tested against multiple bacteria and cinnamon bark, lemongrass and thyme oils showed the lowest minimal inhibitory dose. From: Inouye, S., Takizawa, T., & Yamaguchi, H. (2001). Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact. Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, 47(5), 565-573.
The following essential oils and their constituents in order of effectiveness were active against pathogens in apple juice: against E. coli: carvacrol, oregano oil, geraniol, eugenol, cinnamon leaf oil, citral, clove bud oil, lemongrass oil, cinnamon bark oil, and lemon oil, and against S. enterica: melissa oil, carvacrol, oregano oil, terpeineol, geraniol, lemon oil, citral, lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and linalool. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., Levin, C. E., & Mandrell, R. E. (2004). Antibacterial activities of plant essential oils and their components against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella enterica in apple juice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(19), 6042-6048.
Lemongrass, palmarosa, lavender and rose scented geranium showed in vitro activity against pathogenic vaginal microorganisms. From: Schwiertz, A., Duttke, C., Hild, J., & Mueller, H. J. (2006). In vitro activity of essential oils on microorganisms isolated from vaginal infections. International Journal of Aromatherapy, 16(3), 169-174.
Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.

LICORICE

Constituents of licorice produced significant antimicrobial activity in vitro. From: Mitscher, L. A., Park, Y. H., Clark, D., & Beal, J. L. (1979). Antimicrobial agents from higher plants. Antimicrobial isoflavanoids and related substances from Glycyrrhiza glabra L. var. typica. Journal of natural products, 43(2), 259-269.
Licorice produced antimycobacterial activity and its glabridin constituent was active against gram positive and gram negative bacteria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. From: Gupta, V. K., Fatima, A., Faridi, U., Negi, A. S., Shanker, K., Kumar, J. K., … & Darokar, M. P. (2008). Antimicrobial potential of Glycyrrhiza glabra roots. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 116(2), 377-380.

LIME

Lime essential oil from the leaves and fruit peel were antibacterial against tested oral bacteria in vitro. From: Lemes, R. S., Alves, C. C., Estevam, E. B., Santiago, M. B., Martins, C. H., SANTOS, T. C. D., … & Miranda, M. L. (2018). Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils from Citrus aurantifolia leaves and fruit peel against oral pathogenic bacteria. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 90(2), 1285-1292.
Essential oil from the leaves of Citrus aurantifolia had an in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant effect. From: Al-Aamri, M. S., Al-Abousi, N. M., Al-Jabri, S. S., Alam, T., & Khan, S. A. (2018). Chemical composition and in-vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Citrus aurantifolia L. leaves grown in Eastern Oman. Journal of Taibah University medical sciences, 13(2), 108-112.
Stems from orange and lime trees have been used as chewing sticks to clean teeth and freshen breathe. In vitro studies showed extracts of Citrus sinensis and Citrus aurantifolia were active against pathogens found on teeth. From: Nata’ala, M. K., Dalhat, M. H., Omoye, B. S., Isah, A. A., Kabiru, S., Bashiru, I., & Umar, F. A. (2018). Phytochemical Screening and Antibacterial Activity of Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck [Orange] and Citrus aurantifolia (Cristm.) Swingle [Lime] Stem from Bacteria Associated with Dental Caries. Journal of Advances in Microbiology, 1-9.
Citrus essential oils showed a variety of effectiveness against foodborne pathogens in vitro. From: Restuccia, C., Conti, G. O., Zuccarello, P., Parafati, L., Cristaldi, A., & Ferrante, M. (2019). Efficacy of different citrus essential oils to inhibit the growth and B1 aflatoxin biosynthesis of Aspergillus flavus. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1-10.

LITSEA

The linalool type Litsea cubeba leaf essential oil was more antibacterial against the tested pathogens then the 1,8-cineole type. From: Nguyen, H. V., Meile, J. C., Lebrun, M., Caruso, D., Chu‐Ky, S., & Sarter, S. (2018). Litsea cubeba leaf essential oil from Vietnam: chemical diversity and its impacts on antibacterial activity. Letters in applied microbiology, 66(3), 207-214.
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities were demonstrated from extracts of Litsea cubeba in vitro. From: Gogoi, R., Loying, R., Sarma, N., Munda, S., Pandey, S. K., & Lal, M. (2018). A comparative study on antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, genotoxicity, anti-microbial activities and chemical composition of fruit and leaf essential oils of Litsea cubeba Pers from North-east India. Industrial Crops and Products, 125, 131-139.

MANDARIN

Orange, grapefruit, mandarin, and tangerine essential oils demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial actions in vitro. From: Javed, S., Javaid, A., Nawaz, S., Saeed, M. K., Mahmood, Z., Siddiqui, S. Z., & Ahmad, R. (2014). Phytochemistry, GC-MS analysis, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of essential oil from five citrus species. Journal of Agricultural Science, 6(3), 201.

MANUKA

Manuka and tea tree oil demonstrated the most antibacterial activity of oils tested. From: Harkenthal, M., Reichling, J., Geiss, H. K., & Saller, R. (1999). Comparative study on the in vitro antibacterial activity of Australian tea tree oil, cajuput oil, niaouli oil, manuka oil, kanuka oil, and eucalyptus oil. Die Pharmazie, 54(6), 460-463.
Manuka and kanuka essential oils showed antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory activity in vitro, and may be effective against human infectious microorganisms. From: Chen, C. C., Yan, S. H., Yen, M. Y., Wu, P. F., Liao, W. T., Huang, T. S., … & Wang, H. M. D. (2016). Investigations of kanuka and manuka essential oils for in vitro treatment of disease and cellular inflammation caused by infectious microorganisms. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, 49(1), 104-111.
Oregano and manuka essential oils were antibacterial against 14 tested strains of S. aureus. From: Fratini, F., Mancini, S., Turchi, B., Friscia, E., Pistelli, L., Giusti, G., & Cerri, D. (2017). A novel interpretation of the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index: The case Origanum vulgare L. and Leptospermum scoparium JR et G. Forst essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus strains. Microbiological research, 195, 11-17.
Australian tea tree oil, cajuput, niaouli, lema, kanuka, and manuka showed antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus. From: Christoph, F., Stahl-Biskup, E., & Kaulfers, P. M. (2001). Death kinetics of Staphylococcus aureus exposed to commercial tea tree oils sl. Journal of Essential Oil Research, 13(2), 98-102.

MARJORAM

Basil, clove, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme exhibited antibacterial activities on a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Yano, Y., Satomi, M., & Oikawa, H. (2006). Antimicrobial effect of spices and herbs on Vibrio parahaemolyticus. International journal of food microbiology, 111(1), 6-11.

MARSHMALLOW

Althaea officinalis (marshmallow) and Matricaria recutita (German chamomile) had bactericide and bacteriostatic effects against tested bacteria. From: Zarei, B., Saifi, T., Fazeli, A., Khodadadi, E., & Namavar, A. (2013). Evaluation of Antibacterial effects of marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) On four strains of bacteria. International Journal of Agriculture and Crop Sciences, 5(14), 1571.
The following plant extracts were effective to treat skin infection from S. aureus bacteria: Lonicera alpigena (alpine honeysuckle), Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut), Juglans regia (walnut), Ballota nigra (black horehound), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), Leopoldia comosa (hyacinth), Malva sylvestris (mallow), Cyclamen hederifolium (cyclamen), Rosa canina (dog rose), and Rubus ulmifolius (blackberry). Quave, C. L., Plano, L. R., Pantuso, T., & Bennett, B. C. (2008). Effects of extracts from Italian medicinal plants on planktonic growth, biofilm formation and adherence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 118(3), 418-428.

MELISSA

The following essential oils and their constituents in order of effectiveness were active against pathogens in apple juice: against E. coli: carvacrol, oregano oil, geraniol, eugenol, cinnamon leaf oil, citral, clove bud oil, lemongrass oil, cinnamon bark oil, and lemon oil, and against S. enterica: melissa oil, carvacrol, oregano oil, terpeineol, geraniol, lemon oil, citral, lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and linalool. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., Levin, C. E., & Mandrell, R. E. (2004). Antibacterial activities of plant essential oils and their components against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella enterica in apple juice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(19), 6042-6048

MULLEIN

Mullein plant extract showed antibacterial activity to a variety of tested bacteria. From: Turker, A. U., & Camper, N. D. (2002). Biological activity of common mullein, a medicinal plant. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 82(2), 117-125.
A lactone from the roots of Verbascum undulatum (mullein) exhibited antibacterial activity. From: Magiatis, P., Spanakis, D., Mitaku, S., Tsitsa, E., Mentis, A., & Harvala, C. (2001). Verbalactone, a New Macrocyclic Dimer Lactone from the Roots of Verbascum undulatum with Antibacterial Activity. Journal of natural products, 64(8), 1093-1094.

MYRRH

Myrrh gum resin showed antibacterial and antifungal action against tested microbes. From: Alhussaini, M. S., Saadabi, A. M., Alghonaim, M. I., & Ibrahim, K. E. (2015). An evaluation of the Antimicrobial activity of Commiphora myrrha Nees (Engl.) oleo-gum resins from Saudi Arabia. Journal of Medical Sciences, 15(4), 198.
Myrrh essential oil and extracts were antimicrobial against multiple strains of the bacteria: S. aureus in vitro. From: Adam, M. E., & Selim, S. A. (2013). Antimicrobial activity of essential oil and methanol extract from Commiphora molmol (Engl.) resin. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci, 2(12), 1-6.
Antimicrobial activity of myrrh against gram negative bacteria was demonstrated in vitro. From: Chandrasekharnath, N., Mahlakshmi, Y. V., Jayalakshmi, L., Venkanna, B., & Uma, A. (2013). Screening and isolation of bioactive factors from Commiphora myrrha and evaluation of their antimicrobial activity. International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications, 3(2), 1291-1294.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.
The following plant extracts were tested for their antibacterial effect against common pathogens: Commiphora wightii, Hibiscus cannabinus, Anethum gravelons, Emblica officinalis, Ficus religiosa, Ficus racemosa, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus tisela, Mentha arvensis and Mimusops elengi. From: Nair, R., & CHANDA, S. (2007). Antibacterial activities of some medicinal plants of the western region of India. Turkish Journal of Biology, 31(4), 231-236.

MYRTLE

Cinnamon, lemon thyme, thyme, honey myrtle, lavender, and fragonia demonstrated varying degrees of antibacterial activity against multiple tested pathogens. From: Durmic, Z., McSweeney, C. S., Kemp, G. W., Hutton, P., Wallace, R. J., & Vercoe, P. E. (2008). Australian plants with potential to inhibit bacteria and processes involved in ruminal biohydrogenation of fatty acids. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145(1-4), 271-284.

NEROLI

These sesquiterpenoids sensitized bacteria to antibacterial drugs and may be useful as a combination treatment: nerolidol, bisabolol, apritone, and farnesol. From: Brehm-Stecher, B. F., & Johnson, E. A. (2003). Sensitization of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to antibiotics by the sesquiterpenoids nerolidol, farnesol, bisabolol, and apritone. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 47(10), 3357-3360.

NIAOULI

Australian tea tree oil, cajuput, niaouli, lema, kanuka, and manuka showed antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus. From: Christoph, F., Stahl-Biskup, E., & Kaulfers, P. M. (2001). Death kinetics of Staphylococcus aureus exposed to commercial tea tree oils sl. Journal of Essential Oil Research, 13(2), 98-102.

NONI

Iridoids from noni fruit demonstrated antimicrobial activity against multiple tested bacteria. From: West, B. J., Palmer, S. K., Deng, S., & Palu, A. K. (2012). Antimicrobial activity of an iridoid rich extract from” morinda citrifolia” fruit. Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 4(1), 52-54.
Antibacterial and antifungal activity of noni was demonstrated in vitro against multiple test organisms. From: Jayaraman, S. K., Manoharan, M. S., & Illanchezian, S. (2008). Antibacterial, antifungal and tumor cell suppression potential of Morinda citrifolia fruit extracts. International journal of integrative biology, 3(1), 44-49.

ORANGE

Citrus sinensis peel extracts were active against multiple tested human pathogenic bacteria. From: Mehmood, B., Dar, K. K., Ali, S., Awan, U. A., Nayyer, A. Q., Ghous, T., & Andleeb, S. (2015). In vitro assessment of antioxidant, antibacterial and phytochemical analysis of peel of Citrus sinensis. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences, 28(1).
Orange, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rosemary, purified turpentine, thyme, and Australian tea tree oil as well as the constituent of menthol showed antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities against the bacteria tested. From: Schelz, Z., Molnar, J., & Hohmann, J. (2006). Antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities of essential oils. Fitoterapia, 77(4), 279-285.
From 22 essential oils tested, cornmint, cumin, laurel, lemon peel, orange, oregano, and Ziziphora were active against all assessed bacteria From: Kivanç, M., & Akgül, A. (1986). Antibacterial activities of essential oils from Turkish spices and citrus. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 1(4‐5), 175-179.
The following essential oils and their constituents in order of effectiveness were active against pathogens in apple juice: against E. coli: carvacrol, oregano oil, geraniol, eugenol, cinnamon leaf oil, citral, clove bud oil, lemongrass oil, cinnamon bark oil, and lemon oil, and against S. enterica: melissa oil, carvacrol, oregano oil, terpeineol, geraniol, lemon oil, citral, lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and linalool. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., Levin, C. E., & Mandrell, R. E. (2004). Antibacterial activities of plant essential oils and their components against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella enterica in apple juice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(19), 6042-6048.
Orange extracts were antibacterial against Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Arcobacter spp. From: Nannapaneni, R., Chalova, V. I., Crandall, P. G., Ricke, S. C., Johnson, M. G., & O’Bryan, C. A. (2009). Campylobacter and Arcobacter species sensitivity to commercial orange oil fractions. International journal of food microbiology, 129(1), 43-49.
Orange, grapefruit, mandarin, and tangerine essential oils demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial actions in vitro. From: Javed, S., Javaid, A., Nawaz, S., Saeed, M. K., Mahmood, Z., Siddiqui, S. Z., & Ahmad, R. (2014). Phytochemistry, GC-MS analysis, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of essential oil from five citrus species. Journal of Agricultural Science, 6(3), 201.
Stems from orange and lime trees have been used as chewing sticks to clean teeth and freshen breathe. In vitro studies showed extracts of Citrus sinensis and Citrus aurantifolia were active against pathogens found on teeth. From: Nata’ala, M. K., Dalhat, M. H., Omoye, B. S., Isah, A. A., Kabiru, S., Bashiru, I., & Umar, F. A. (2018). Phytochemical Screening and Antibacterial Activity of Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck [Orange] and Citrus aurantifolia (Cristm.) Swingle [Lime] Stem from Bacteria Associated with Dental Caries. Journal of Advances in Microbiology, 1-9.
Citrus essential oils showed a variety of effectiveness against foodborne pathogens in vitro. From: Restuccia, C., Conti, G. O., Zuccarello, P., Parafati, L., Cristaldi, A., & Ferrante, M. (2019). Efficacy of different citrus essential oils to inhibit the growth and B1 aflatoxin biosynthesis of Aspergillus flavus. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1-10.

OREGANO

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
In a mega-analysis of over 500 studies on essential oil antimicrobial activity, spices and herbs of thyme, origanum, mint, cinnamon, salvia and clove had the strongest antimicrobial properties. From: Kalemba, D., & Kunicka, A. (2003). Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils. Current medicinal chemistry, 10(10), 813-829.
This mega analysis reviewed studies of essential oils as antibacterials in food. Several effective constituents included carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, perillaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid. These had minimum inhibitory concentrations with some having synergism such as carvacrol and p-cymene, cinnamaldehyde and eugenol, and between EO components and mild preservation methods. From: Burt, S. (2004). Essential oils: their antibacterial properties and potential applications in foods—a review. International journal of food microbiology, 94(3), 223-253.
Thymus fontanessi (thyme), Origanum glandulosum (oregano), Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal), and Lavandula stoechas (lavender) were antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA). Carvacrol, thymol, pulegone, fenchone, and camphor were the strongest constituents. From: Bekka-Hadji, F., Bombarda, I., & Touati, A. (2016). Antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus of five essential oils from Algerian medicinal plants (Lamiaceae). Journal of Essential Oil Research, 1-10.
Satureja hortensis and Origanum vulgare, and their carvacrol constituent were antibacterial against Helicobacter pylori in vitro. From: Lesjak, M., Simin, N., Orcic, D., Franciskovic, M., Knezevic, P., Beara, I., … & Mimica‐Dukic, N. (2016). Binary and tertiary mixtures of Satureja hortensis and Origanum vulgare essential oils as potent antimicrobial agents against Helicobacter pylori. Phytotherapy research, 30(3), 476-484.
Oregano, basil, and thyme exhibited antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activity. Oregano was effective against multiresistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. From: Bozin, B., Mimica-Dukic, N., Simin, N., & Anackov, G. (2006). Characterization of the volatile composition of essential oils of some Lamiaceae spices and the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the entire oils. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 54(5), 1822-1828.
Sixty-five bacteria were tested against 13 essential oils. Cinnamon bark, cinnamon leaf, oregano, thyme, ajowan, and clove showed strong antibacterial activity. From: Mayaud, L., Carricajo, A., Zhiri, A., & Aubert, G. (2008). Comparison of bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of 13 essential oils against strains with varying sensitivity to antibiotics. Letters in applied microbiology, 47(3), 167-173.
Oregano and its thymol and carvacrol constituents were effective against methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MSS, MRS). From: Nostro, A., Blanco, A. R., Cannatelli, M. A., Enea, V., Flamini, G., Morelli, I., … & Alonzo, V. (2004). Susceptibility of methicillin-resistant staphylococci to oregano essential oil, carvacrol and thymol. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 230(2), 191-195.
Oregano extract was antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, and Mycobacterium terrae. From: Preuss, H. G., Echard, B., Enig, M., Brook, I., & Elliott, T. B. (2005). Minimum inhibitory concentrations of herbal essential oils and monolaurin for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Molecular and cellular biochemistry, 272(1-2), 29-34.
Basil, clove, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme exhibited antibacterial activities on a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Yano, Y., Satomi, M., & Oikawa, H. (2006). Antimicrobial effect of spices and herbs on Vibrio parahaemolyticus. International journal of food microbiology, 111(1), 6-11.
From 22 essential oils tested, cornmint, cumin, laurel, lemon peel, orange, oregano, and Ziziphora were active against all assessed bacteria From: Kivanç, M., & Akgül, A. (1986). Antibacterial activities of essential oils from Turkish spices and citrus. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 1(4‐5), 175-179.
The following essential oils and their constituents in order of effectiveness were active against pathogens in apple juice: against E. coli: carvacrol, oregano oil, geraniol, eugenol, cinnamon leaf oil, citral, clove bud oil, lemongrass oil, cinnamon bark oil, and lemon oil, and against S. enterica: melissa oil, carvacrol, oregano oil, terpeineol, geraniol, lemon oil, citral, lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and linalool. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., Levin, C. E., & Mandrell, R. E. (2004). Antibacterial activities of plant essential oils and their components against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella enterica in apple juice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(19), 6042-6048.
Diphenyliodonium chloride (DIC) and thymol reduce the growth and survivability of Campylobacter species in vitro. From: Anderson, R. C., Krueger, N. A., Byrd, J. A., Harvey, R. B., Callaway, T. R., Edrington, T. S., & Nisbet, D. J. (2009). Effects of thymol and diphenyliodonium chloride against Campylobacter spp. during pure and mixed culture in vitro. Journal of applied microbiology, 107(4), 1258-1268.
Carvacrol prevents the development of flagella in E. coli. From: Burt, S. A., van der Zee, R., Koets, A. P., de Graaff, A. M., van Knapen, F., Gaastra, W., … & Veldhuizen, E. J. (2007). Carvacrol induces heat shock protein 60 and inhibits synthesis of flagellin in Escherichia coli O157: H7. Applied and environmental microbiology, 73(14), 4484-4490.
The study demonstrated the gram positive and gram negative antibacterial activities of thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and γ-terpinene against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. From: Cristani, M., D’Arrigo, M., Mandalari, G., Castelli, F., Sarpietro, M. G., Micieli, D., … & Trombetta, D. (2007). Interaction of four monoterpenes contained in essential oils with model membranes: implications for their antibacterial activity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 55(15), 6300-6308.
Thymus caramanicus composed of carvacrol (68.9%), p-cymene (6.0%), thymol (5.3%), gamma-terpinene (4.6%) and borneol (4.0%), showed strong activity against Helicobacter pylori bacteria. From: Eftekhar, F., Nariman, F., Yousefzadi, M., Hadiand, J., & Ebrahimi, S. N. (2009). Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity and essential oil composition of Thymus caramanicus from Iran. Natural product communications, 4(8), 1139-1142.
Oregano and manuka essential oils were antibacterial against 14 tested strains of S. aureus. From: Fratini, F., Mancini, S., Turchi, B., Friscia, E., Pistelli, L., Giusti, G., & Cerri, D. (2017). A novel interpretation of the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index: The case Origanum vulgare L. and Leptospermum scoparium JR et G. Forst essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus strains. Microbiological research, 195, 11-17.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.
Blends with Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Daucus carota, Eucalyptus globulus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Syzygium aromaticum, and Origanum vulgare showed in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities against antibiotic resistant pathogens, candida strains, and both the H1N1 and HSV1 viruses. From: Brochot, A., Guilbot, A., Haddioui, L., & Roques, C. (2017). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. MicrobiologyOpen, 6(4), e00459.

PALMAROSA

Lemongrass, palmarosa, cinnamon, and rosemary essential oils showed antimicrobial activity against antibiotic resistant organisms. From: Narayanasamy, K., Elangovan, E., Keerthi, D., Jagadeeswari, S., Krithiga, B., Padmanabhan, V., & Periyasamy, S. (2019). Antimicrobial activity of selected essential oils against antibiotic resistant organisms. Asian Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 5(3), 503-512.
Palmarosa, lemongrass, peppermint, and eucalyptus were bactericidal against Escherichia coli. From: Pattnaik, S., Subramanyam, V. R., & Rath, C. C. (1994). Effect of essential oils on the viability and morphology of Escherichia coli (SP-11). Microbios, 84(340), 195-199.
Lemongrass, palmarosa, lavender and rose scented geranium showed in vitro activity against pathogenic vaginal microorganisms. From: Schwiertz, A., Duttke, C., Hild, J., & Mueller, H. J. (2006). In vitro activity of essential oils on microorganisms isolated from vaginal infections. International Journal of Aromatherapy, 16(3), 169-174.
The combination of Cymbopogon flexuosus and Cymbopogon nardus essential oils showed high antibacterial activity against six bacteria. From: Wahab, N. A. A., Muhamad, H. S., Alhadi, N. A., Radzi, S. M., Rehan, M. M., & Noor, H. M. (2018). Combination Effects of Cymbopogon sp. Essential Oil on Selected Bacteria. Malaysian Journal of Science Health & Technology, 1(1).

PARSLEY

Leaf and stem extracts from parsley and cilantro showed antioxidant and antibacterial activities in vitro. From: Wong, P. Y., & Kitts, D. D. (2006). Studies on the dual antioxidant and antibacterial properties of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) extracts. Food chemistry, 97(3), 505-515.
Parsley was antibacterial against multiple tested pathogens. From: Seyyednejad, S. M., Maleki, S., Damabi, N. M., & Motamedi, H. (2008). Antibacterial activity of Prunus mahaleb and Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) against some pathogen. Asian J Biol Sci, 1, 51-5.

PATCHOULI

Extracts from the leaves of Coleus forskohlii (coleus), Pogostemon patchouli (patchouli) and Tecoma stans showed broad spectrum antibacterial activity. From: Senthilkumar, C. S., Kumar, M. S., & Pandian, M. R. (2010). In Vitro Antibacterial activity of crude leaf extracts from tecoma stans (L) Juss. et Kunth, Coleus Forskohlii and Pogostemon Patchouli against human pathogenic bacteria. International Journal of PharmTech Research, 2(1), 438-442.
Patchouli, caraway, and geranium showed antibacterial action against S. aureus isolated from skin lesions of infected people. From: Kwiatkowski, P., Mnichowska-Polanowska, M., Pruss, A., Dzięcioł, M., & Masiuk, H. (2017). Experimental Paper. Activity of essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from skin lesions in the course of staphylococcal skin infections. Herba Polonica, 63(1), 43-52.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.

PENNYROYAL

Thymus fontanessi (thyme), Origanum glandulosum (oregano), Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal), and Lavandula stoechas (lavender) were antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA). Carvacrol, thymol, pulegone, fenchone, and camphor were the strongest constituents. From: Bekka-Hadji, F., Bombarda, I., & Touati, A. (2016). Antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus of five essential oils from Algerian medicinal plants (Lamiaceae). Journal of Essential Oil Research, 1-10.

PEPPER, CHILE

A variety of chile pepper species were active against multiple tested bacteria. From: Cichewicz, R. H., & Thorpe, P. A. (1996). The antimicrobial properties of chile peppers (Capsicum species) and their uses in Mayan medicine. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 52(2), 61-70.

PEPPERMINT / MINT

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
In a mega-analysis of over 500 studies on essential oil antimicrobial activity, spices and herbs of thyme, origanum, mint, cinnamon, salvia and clove had the strongest antimicrobial properties. From: Kalemba, D., & Kunicka, A. (2003). Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils. Current medicinal chemistry, 10(10), 813-829.
Orange, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rosemary, purified turpentine, thyme, and Australian tea tree oil as well as the constituent of menthol showed antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities against the bacteria tested. From: Schelz, Z., Molnar, J., & Hohmann, J. (2006). Antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities of essential oils. Fitoterapia, 77(4), 279-285.
Thyme, mint, and bay showed activity against food poisoning bacteria: Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Aktuğ, Ş. E., & Karapinar, M. (1986). Sensitivity of some common food-poisoning bacteria to thyme, mint and bay leaves. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 3(6), 349-354.
Palmarosa, lemongrass, peppermint, and eucalyptus were bactericidal against Escherichia coli. From: Pattnaik, S., Subramanyam, V. R., & Rath, C. C. (1994). Effect of essential oils on the viability and morphology of Escherichia coli (SP-11). Microbios, 84(340), 195-199.
Peppermint essential oil showed antibacterial action dependent upon concentration, food pH, composition, storage temperature and the type of bacteria. From: Tassou, C. C., Drosinos, E. H., & Nychas, G. J. E. (1995). Effects of essential oil from mint (Mentha piperita) on Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes in model food systems at 4 and 10 C. Journal of Applied Bacteriology, 78(6), 593-600.
Melaleuca alternifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita and Rosmarinus officinalis were combined with conventional antimicrobials and assessed. From: Van Vuuren, S. F., Suliman, S., & Viljoen, A. M. (2009). The antimicrobial activity of four commercial essential oils in combination with conventional antimicrobials. Letters in applied microbiology, 48(4), 440-446.
From 22 essential oils tested, cornmint, cumin, laurel, lemon peel, orange, oregano, and Ziziphora were active against all assessed bacteria From: Kivanç, M., & Akgül, A. (1986). Antibacterial activities of essential oils from Turkish spices and citrus. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 1(4‐5), 175-179.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.
The following plant extracts were tested for their antibacterial effect against common pathogens: Commiphora wightii, Hibiscus cannabinus, Anethum gravelons, Emblica officinalis, Ficus religiosa, Ficus racemosa, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus tisela, Mentha arvensis and Mimusops elengi. From: Nair, R., & CHANDA, S. (2007). Antibacterial activities of some medicinal plants of the western region of India. Turkish Journal of Biology, 31(4), 231-236.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.

PINE

Pine essential oil was antibacterial against a variety of pathogens in vitro. From: Oyewole, K. A., Oyedara, O. O., Awojide, S. H., Olawade, M. O., & Adetunji, C. O. (2021). Chemical constituents and antibacterial activity of essential oils of needles of Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) from South West Nigeria.

PLANTAIN

The study assessed the protective effect of plantain against S. pneumoniae in mice. From: Hetland, G., Samuelsen, A. B., Loslash, V., Paulsen, B. S., Aaberge, I. S., Groeng, E. C., & Michaelsen, T. E. (2000). Protective effect of Plantago major L. Pectin polysaccharide against systemic Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in mice. Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, 52(4), 348-355.

ROSE

Rose absolute and essential oil contained high levels of phenolics and demonstrated strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Chromobacterium violaceum, and Erwinia carotovora. From: Ulusoy, S., Boşgelmez-Tınaz, G., & Seçilmiş-Canbay, H. (2009). Tocopherol, carotene, phenolic contents and antibacterial properties of rose essential oil, hydrosol and absolute. Current microbiology, 59(5), 554-558.
Rose, geranium, lavender and rosemary oils were the most potent QS inhibitors, destabilize bacterial communities studied. From: Szabó, M. Á., Varga, G. Z., Hohmann, J., Schelz, Z., Szegedi, E., Amaral, L., & Molnár, J. (2010). Inhibition of quorum‐sensing signals by essential oils. Phytotherapy research, 24(5), 782-786.

ROSEMARY

Orange, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rosemary, purified turpentine, thyme, and Australian tea tree oil as well as the constituent of menthol showed antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities against the bacteria tested. From: Schelz, Z., Molnar, J., & Hohmann, J. (2006). Antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities of essential oils. Fitoterapia, 77(4), 279-285.
Basil, clove, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme exhibited antibacterial activities on a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Yano, Y., Satomi, M., & Oikawa, H. (2006). Antimicrobial effect of spices and herbs on Vibrio parahaemolyticus. International journal of food microbiology, 111(1), 6-11.
Melaleuca alternifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita and Rosmarinus officinalis were combined with conventional antimicrobials and assessed. From: Van Vuuren, S. F., Suliman, S., & Viljoen, A. M. (2009). The antimicrobial activity of four commercial essential oils in combination with conventional antimicrobials. Letters in applied microbiology, 48(4), 440-446.
Rosemary essential oil and its constituents demonstrated antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Myrcene was the constituent associated with antioxidant activity and alpha pinene was a strong antibacterial. 1,8-cineole was effective against the E. coli bacteria. From: Ojeda-Sana, A. M., van Baren, C. M., Elechosa, M. A., Juárez, M. A., & Moreno, S. (2013). New insights into antibacterial and antioxidant activities of rosemary essential oils and their main components. Food Control, 31(1), 189-195.
Rosemary and its constituents carnasol and carnosic acid showed activity against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. From: Oluwatuyi, M., Kaatz, G. W., & Gibbons, S. (2004). Antibacterial and resistance modifying activity of Rosmarinus officinalis. Phytochemistry, 65(24), 3249-3254.
Blends with Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Daucus carota, Eucalyptus globulus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Syzygium aromaticum, and Origanum vulgare showed in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities against antibiotic resistant pathogens, candida strains, and both the H1N1 and HSV1 viruses. From: Brochot, A., Guilbot, A., Haddioui, L., & Roques, C. (2017). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. MicrobiologyOpen, 6(4), e00459.
The following plant extracts were effective to treat skin infection from S. aureus bacteria: Lonicera alpigena (alpine honeysuckle), Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut), Juglans regia (walnut), Ballota nigra (black horehound), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), Leopoldia comosa (hyacinth), Malva sylvestris (mallow), Cyclamen hederifolium (cyclamen), Rosa canina (dog rose), and Rubus ulmifolius (blackberry). Quave, C. L., Plano, L. R., Pantuso, T., & Bennett, B. C. (2008). Effects of extracts from Italian medicinal plants on planktonic growth, biofilm formation and adherence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 118(3), 418-428.
Antibacterial activity against gram positive species was demonstrated by rosemary. From: Pintore, G., Usai, M., Bradesi, P., Juliano, C., Boatto, G., Tomi, F., … & Casanova, J. (2002). Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Rosmarinus officinalis L. oils from Sardinia and Corsica. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 17(1), 15-19.
Rosemary showed activity against oral bacteria in vitro. From: Silva, M. D. S. A., Silva, M. A. R., Higino, J. S., Pereira, M. S. V., & Carvalho, A. D. A. (2008). In vitro antimicrobial activity and anti-adherence of Rosmarinus officinalis Linn. against oral planktonic bacteria. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia, 18(2), 236-240.
Rose, geranium, lavender and rosemary oils were the most potent QS inhibitors, destabilize bacterial communities studied. From: Szabó, M. Á., Varga, G. Z., Hohmann, J., Schelz, Z., Szegedi, E., Amaral, L., & Molnár, J. (2010). Inhibition of quorum‐sensing signals by essential oils. Phytotherapy research, 24(5), 782-786.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.

SAGE

In a mega-analysis of over 500 studies on essential oil antimicrobial activity, spices and herbs of thyme, origanum, mint, cinnamon, salvia and clove had the strongest antimicrobial properties. From: Kalemba, D., & Kunicka, A. (2003). Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils. Current medicinal chemistry, 10(10), 813-829.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.

SAVORY

A formulation containing Oliveria decumbens and Pelargonium graveolens essential oils improved healing of Staphylococcus aureus infected wounds in mice. From: Mahboubi, M., Feizabadi, M. M., Khamechian, T., Kazempour, N., Zadeh, M. R., Sasani, F., & Bekhradi, M. (2016). The effect of Oliveria decumbens and Pelargonium graveolens on healing of infected skin wounds in mice. World journal of plastic surgery, 5(3), 259.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.

SPEARMINT

Spearmint and dill were effective against the bacteria against Enterobacter cloacae with carvone and piperitone being active constituents. From: Rafii, F., & Shahverdi, A. R. (2006). Comparison of essential oils from three plants for enhancement of antimicrobial activity of nitrofurantoin against enterobacteria. Chemotherapy, 53(1), 21-25.
Essential oils of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Mentha spicata significantly retard dental biofilm formation. From: Rasooli, I., Shayegh, S., & Astaneh, S. D. A. (2009). The effect of Mentha spicata and Eucalyptus camaldulensis essential oils on dental biofilm. International journal of dental hygiene, 7(3), 196-203.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.

SUMAC

Alnus rubra bark and catkins (red alder), Fragaria chiloensis leaves (strawberry), Moneses uniflora aerial parts, and Rhus glabra branches (sumac) showed the strongest antibacterial activity against 11 strains tested. From: McCutcheon, A. R., Ellis, S. M., Hancock, R. E. W., & Towers, G. H. N. (1992). Antibiotic screening of medicinal plants of the British Columbian native peoples. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 37(3), 213-223.

TANGERINE

Orange, grapefruit, mandarin, and tangerine essential oils demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial actions in vitro. From: Javed, S., Javaid, A., Nawaz, S., Saeed, M. K., Mahmood, Z., Siddiqui, S. Z., & Ahmad, R. (2014). Phytochemistry, GC-MS analysis, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of essential oil from five citrus species. Journal of Agricultural Science, 6(3), 201.

TEA TREE

The use of plant essential oils against antibiotic resistant microbes is discussed. Key essential oils include basil, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, clove, curry, garlic, helichrysum, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, and tea tree. From: Yang, S. K., Low, L. Y., Yap, P. S. X., Yusoff, K., Mai, C. W., Lai, K. S., & Lim, S. H. E. (2018). Plant-Derived Antimicrobials: Insights into Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance. Records of Natural Products, 12(4).
Orange, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rosemary, purified turpentine, thyme, and Australian tea tree oil as well as the constituent of menthol showed antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities against the bacteria tested. From: Schelz, Z., Molnar, J., & Hohmann, J. (2006). Antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities of essential oils. Fitoterapia, 77(4), 279-285.
Melaleuca alternifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita and Rosmarinus officinalis were combined with conventional antimicrobials and assessed. From: Van Vuuren, S. F., Suliman, S., & Viljoen, A. M. (2009). The antimicrobial activity of four commercial essential oils in combination with conventional antimicrobials. Letters in applied microbiology, 48(4), 440-446.
Tea tree oil was antimicrobial against multiple tested pathogenic bacteria. Mumu, S. K., & Hossain, M. M. (2018). Antimicrobial activity of tea tree oil against pathogenic bacteria and comparison of its effectiveness with eucalyptus oil, lemongrass oil and conventional antibiotics. American Journal of Microbiological Research, 6(3), 73-78.
Melaleuca ericifolia could be effective in E. coli removal of stormwater. From: Shirdashtzadeh, M., Chandrasena, G. I., Henry, R., & McCarthy, D. T. (2017). Plants that can kill; improving E. coli removal in stormwater treatment systems using Australian plants with antibacterial activity. Ecological Engineering, 107, 120-125.
Tea tree oil and its components, 1,8-cineole, terpinen-4-ol, and α-terpineol demonstrated activity against Staphylococcus aureus. From: Carson, C. F., Mee, B. J., & Riley, T. V. (2002). Mechanism of action of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil on Staphylococcus aureus determined by time-kill, lysis, leakage, and salt tolerance assays and electron microscopy. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 46(6), 1914-1920.
Tea tree has shown activity against the following bacteria: Acinetobacter baumannii, Actinomyces viscosus, Actinomyces spp., Bacillus cereus, Bacteroides spp., Corynebacterium sp., Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium, Escherichia coli, Fusobacterium nuicleatujm, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Lactobacillus sppl, Micrococcus luteus, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Porphyromonas endodentalis, P. gingivalis, Prevotella spp., P. intermedia, Propionibacterium acnes, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, S. hominis, S. pyogenes, and Veillonella spp. From: Carson, C. F., Hammer, K. A., & Riley, T. V. (2006). Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties. Clinical microbiology reviews, 19(1), 50-62.
This study described the antibacterial activity of tea tree oil and terpinen-4-ol against Staphylococcus aureus. From: Cuaron, J. A., Dulal, S., Song, Y., Singh, A. K., Montelongo, C. E., Yu, W., … & Gustafson, J. E. (2013). Tea Tree Oil‐Induced Transcriptional Alterations in Staphylococcus aureus. Phytotherapy Research, 27(3), 390-396.
A preparation with tea tree was effective and safe in treating skin lesions of MRSA. From: Dryden, M. S., Dailly, S., & Crouch, M. (2004). A randomized, controlled trial of tea tree topical preparations versus a standard topical regimen for the clearance of MRSA colonization. Journal of Hospital Infection, 56(4), 283-286.
A variety of oral bacteria were affected by tea tree. From: Hammer, K. A., Dry, L., Johnson, M., Michalak, E. M., Carson, C. F., & Riley, T. V. (2003). Susceptibility of oral bacteria to Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil in vitro. Oral microbiology and immunology, 18(6), 389-392.
Manuka and tea tree oil demonstrated the most antibacterial activity of oils tested. From: Harkenthal, M., Reichling, J., Geiss, H. K., & Saller, R. (1999). Comparative study on the in vitro antibacterial activity of Australian tea tree oil, cajuput oil, niaouli oil, manuka oil, kanuka oil, and eucalyptus oil. Die Pharmazie, 54(6), 460-463.
Tea tree oil was effective against a broad spectrum of skin bacteria in vitro. Singh, B. R., Vadhana, P., Bhardwaj, M., Vinodh Kumar, O. R., & Sinha, D. K. (2016). Comparative Antimicrobial Activity of Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca Oil) and Common Topical Antimicrobials against Bacteria Associated With Wound and Topical Infections. Pharm. Anal. Acta, 7, 513.
Australian tea tree oil, cajuput, niaouli, lema, kanuka, and manuka showed antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus. From: Christoph, F., Stahl-Biskup, E., & Kaulfers, P. M. (2001). Death kinetics of Staphylococcus aureus exposed to commercial tea tree oils sl. Journal of Essential Oil Research, 13(2), 98-102.
Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.

THYME

In a mega-analysis of over 500 studies on essential oil antimicrobial activity, spices and herbs of thyme, origanum, mint, cinnamon, salvia and clove had the strongest antimicrobial properties. From: Kalemba, D., & Kunicka, A. (2003). Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils. Current medicinal chemistry, 10(10), 813-829.
This mega analysis reviewed studies of essential oils as antibacterials in food. Several effective constituents included carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, perillaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid. These had minimum inhibitory concentrations with some having synergism such as carvacrol and p-cymene, cinnamaldehyde and eugenol, and between EO components and mild preservation methods. From: Burt, S. (2004). Essential oils: their antibacterial properties and potential applications in foods—a review. International journal of food microbiology, 94(3), 223-253.
Thymus fontanessi (thyme), Origanum glandulosum (oregano), Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal), and Lavandula stoechas (lavender) were antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA). Carvacrol, thymol, pulegone, fenchone, and camphor were the strongest constituents. From: Bekka-Hadji, F., Bombarda, I., & Touati, A. (2016). Antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus of five essential oils from Algerian medicinal plants (Lamiaceae). Journal of Essential Oil Research, 1-10.
Thymus vulgaris and Eucalyptus globulus showed antibacterial activity against Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other tested bacterial strains. From: Tohidpour, A., Sattari, M., Omidbaigi, R., Yadegar, A., & Nazemi, J. (2010). Antibacterial effect of essential oils from two medicinal plants against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Phytomedicine, 17(2), 142-145.
Oregano, basil, and thyme exhibited antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activity. Oregano was effective against resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. From: Bozin, B., Mimica-Dukic, N., Simin, N., & Anackov, G. (2006). Characterization of the volatile composition of essential oils of some Lamiaceae spices and the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the entire oils. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 54(5), 1822-1828.
Against meat bacteria in food: thyme, garlic and cinnamon showed the most antimicrobial activity. From: García-Díez, J., Alheiro, J., Falco, V., Fraqueza, M. J., & Patarata, L. (2016). Chemical characterization and antimicrobial properties of herbs and spices essential oils against pathogens and spoilage bacteria associated to dry-cured meat products. Journal of Essential Oil Research, 1-9.
Thymus algeriensis demonstrated a high inhibiting activity against eight bacterial strains and two species of fungus. Phenolic compounds demonstrated high antimicrobial activity. From: Chemat, S., Cherfouh, R., Meklati, B. Y., & Belanteur, K. (2012). Composition and microbial activity of thyme (Thymus algeriensis genuinus) essential oil. Journal of Essential Oil Research, 24(1), 5-11.
Sixty-five bacteria were tested against 13 essential oils. Cinnamon bark, cinnamon leaf, oregano, thyme, ajowan, and clove showed strong antibacterial activity. From: Mayaud, L., Carricajo, A., Zhiri, A., & Aubert, G. (2008). Comparison of bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of 13 essential oils against strains with varying sensitivity to antibiotics. Letters in applied microbiology, 47(3), 167-173.
Orange, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rosemary, purified turpentine, thyme, and Australian tea tree oil as well as the constituent of menthol showed antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities against the bacteria tested. From: Schelz, Z., Molnar, J., & Hohmann, J. (2006). Antimicrobial and antiplasmid activities of essential oils. Fitoterapia, 77(4), 279-285.
Thyme, mint, and bay showed activity against food poisoning bacteria: Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Aktuğ, Ş. E., & Karapinar, M. (1986). Sensitivity of some common food-poisoning bacteria to thyme, mint and bay leaves. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 3(6), 349-354.
Basil, clove, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme exhibited antibacterial activities on a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus. From: Yano, Y., Satomi, M., & Oikawa, H. (2006). Antimicrobial effect of spices and herbs on Vibrio parahaemolyticus. International journal of food microbiology, 111(1), 6-11.
Melaleuca alternifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita and Rosmarinus officinalis were combined with conventional antimicrobials and assessed. From: Van Vuuren, S. F., Suliman, S., & Viljoen, A. M. (2009). The antimicrobial activity of four commercial essential oils in combination with conventional antimicrobials. Letters in applied microbiology, 48(4), 440-446.
ourteen essential oils were tested against multiple bacteria and cinnamon bark, lemongrass and thyme oils showed the lowest minimal inhibitory dose. From: Inouye, S., Takizawa, T., & Yamaguchi, H. (2001). Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact. Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, 47(5), 565-573.
Cinnamon, clove, and thyme oils inhibited the bacteria: Aeromonas hydrophila. From: Fabio, A., Corona, A., Forte, E., & Quaglio, P. (2003). Inhibitory activity of spices and essential oils on psychrotrophic bacteria. The new microbiologica, 26(1), 115-120.
The following essential oils and their constituents in order of effectiveness were active against pathogens in apple juice: against E. coli: carvacrol, oregano oil, geraniol, eugenol, cinnamon leaf oil, citral, clove bud oil, lemongrass oil, cinnamon bark oil, and lemon oil, and against S. enterica: melissa oil, carvacrol, oregano oil, terpeineol, geraniol, lemon oil, citral, lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and linalool. From: Friedman, M., Henika, P. R., Levin, C. E., & Mandrell, R. E. (2004). Antibacterial activities of plant essential oils and their components against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Salmonella enterica in apple juice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(19), 6042-6048.
Diphenyliodonium chloride (DIC) and thymol reduce the growth and survivability of Campylobacter species in vitro. From: Anderson, R. C., Krueger, N. A., Byrd, J. A., Harvey, R. B., Callaway, T. R., Edrington, T. S., & Nisbet, D. J. (2009). Effects of thymol and diphenyliodonium chloride against Campylobacter spp. during pure and mixed culture in vitro. Journal of applied microbiology, 107(4), 1258-1268.
The study demonstrated the gram positive and gram negative antibacterial activities of thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and γ-terpinene against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. From: Cristani, M., D’Arrigo, M., Mandalari, G., Castelli, F., Sarpietro, M. G., Micieli, D., … & Trombetta, D. (2007). Interaction of four monoterpenes contained in essential oils with model membranes: implications for their antibacterial activity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 55(15), 6300-6308.
Thymus caramanicus composed of carvacrol (68.9%), p-cymene (6.0%), thymol (5.3%), gamma-terpinene (4.6%) and borneol (4.0%), showed strong activity against Helicobacter pylori bacteria. From: Eftekhar, F., Nariman, F., Yousefzadi, M., Hadiand, J., & Ebrahimi, S. N. (2009). Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity and essential oil composition of Thymus caramanicus from Iran. Natural product communications, 4(8), 1139-1142.
Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.
Cinnamon, lemon thyme, thyme, honey myrtle, lavender, and fragonia demonstrated varying degrees of antibacterial activity against multiple tested pathogens. From: Durmic, Z., McSweeney, C. S., Kemp, G. W., Hutton, P., Wallace, R. J., & Vercoe, P. E. (2008). Australian plants with potential to inhibit bacteria and processes involved in ruminal biohydrogenation of fatty acids. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145(1-4), 271-284.
The following essential oils were tested and showed varying degrees of antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities: Anethum graveolens, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites, O. vulgare, O. munitiflorum, O. majorana, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja cuneifolia. From: Orhan, İlkay Erdoğan, et al. “Antimicrobial and antiviral effects of essential oils from selected Umbelliferae and Labiatae plants and individual essential oil components.” Turkish Journal of Biology 36.3 (2012): 239-246.

VERBENA

The essential oil of Lippia sidoides (verbena), and its major components thymol and carvacrol exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against oral bacteria in vitro. From: Botelho, M. A., Nogueira, N. A. P., Bastos, G. M., Fonseca, S. G. C., Lemos, T. L. G., Matos, F. J. A., … & Brito, G. A. C. (2007). Antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from Lippia sidoides, carvacrol and thymol against oral pathogens. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 40(3), 349-356.

VETIVER

Vetiver was antimycobacterial against M. tuberculosis. From: Saikia, D., Parveen, S., Gupta, V. K., & Luqman, S. (2012). Anti-tuberculosis activity of Indian grass KHUS (Vetiveria zizanioides L. Nash). Complementary therapies in medicine, 20(6), 434-436.

WINTERGREEN

Bay, cinnamon, grapefruit, lemongrass, thyme, clary sage, wintergreen, clove, allspice, and camphor essential oils showed varying degrees of inhibition against MRSA and MSSA bacterial samples from hospital patients. From: Sharma, P. U. J. A., Mack, J. P., & Rojtman, A. (2013). Ten highly effective essential oils inhibit growth of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Int. J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 5(1), 52-54.

YARROW

Achillea millefolium and three other Achillea species showed in vitro antimicrobial activity against tested bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aueruginosa, and Salmonella enteritidis. The four species showed antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. From: Stojanović, G., Radulović, N., Hashimoto, T., & Palić, R. (2005). In vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts of four Achillea species: The composition of Achillea clavennae L.(Asteraceae) extract. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 101(1), 185-190.

YLANG YLANG

Against the oral bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the 13 most effective essential oils were: myrrh, ginger, basil, carrot seed, tea tree, patchouli, ylang ylang, cypress, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus. From: Park, C., & Yoon, H. (2018). Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil against Oral Strain. International Journal of Clinical Preventive Dentistry, 14(4), 216-221.

Compiled by: Kathy Sadowski

Last Updated: 10/17/2022

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