Antibacterial effects of essential oils from Anthricus sylvestris against antibiotic-susceptible and -resistant bacteria

The increased incidence of various clinical symptoms by antibiotic-resistant food-born bacteria have been more and more important issues, especially associated with the extensive use of antibiotics to cattle, fishes and etc. against antibiotic-resistant food-borne pathogenic bacteria, the essential oil was extracted by steam distillation from the roots of A. sylvestris and its activity was evaluated to develop a new effective and safe, natural antibiotics. Its composition was analyzed by GC-MS and the activities against antibiotic-susceptible and -resistant strains of some food-born bacteria. The synergism of this oil combined with antibiotic was determined by checkerboardtiter test. Mysristicin and caryophyllene were found as main components of this oil by GC-MS analysis. The essential oil fraction of A. sylvestris against most of the tested strains of antibiotic-susceptible and -resistant bacteria resulting MICs ranged from 0.5˜>4.00mg/ml. However, both of the main components of this oil showed relatively mild or no activity. The A. sylvestris oil fraction combined with antibiotics showed synergistic or additive effects depending on the tested species of bacteria.