Antibakterielle Wirkung von ätherischen Ölen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Problemkeims Staphylococcus aureus

Zusammenfassung

In zahlreichen In-vitro-Studien konnte zweifelsfrei gezeigt werden, dass viele ätherische Öle über ein ausgezeichnetes antibakterielles Wirkprofil verfügen. Ihre antibakterielle Wirkung hängt entscheidend von der chemischen Zusammensetzung ab. Ätherische Öle mit einem hohen Anteil an Alkoholen und Phenolen sind deutlich stärker wirksam als solche, die einen hohen Anteil an Kohlenwasserstoffen, Ketonen oder Aldehyden aufweisen. Die unterschiedliche Empfindlichkeit der Bakterien gegenüber ätherischen Ölen hängt einmal vom chemischen und physikalischen Aufbau der Bakterienzellwand ab und zum anderen von strukturellen und funktionellen Besonderheiten der bakteriellen Zytoplasmamembran. Neuere Untersuchungen zum Wirkungsmechanismus haben gezeigt, dass ätherische Öle und deren Einzelkomponenten nicht nur an einer Zielstruktur der Bakterienzelle angreifen, sondern auf mehrere Strukturen gleichzeitig einwirken (Multi-Target-Wirkung). Den überzeugenden In-vitro-Daten stehen nur wenige klinische Studien gegenüber. Ätherische Öle sind somit kein Ersatz für indizierte Antibiotika. Andererseits liefern die derzeit vorliegenden Daten genügend plausible Argumente für eine versuchsweise Anwendung ätherischer Öle z. B. bei unkomplizierten bakteriellen Hautinfektionen, bakteriell infizierten, schlecht heilenden Wunden und fötiden Tumorulzerationen.

Summary

Antibacterial activity of essential oils with a focus on the problematic germ Staphylococcus aureus
Numerous in vitro studies have clearly shown that many essential oils have an excellent antibacterial effect profile. Their antibacterial effect is essentially dependent on the chemical composition of the respective essential oil. Essential oils with a high proportion of alcohols and phenols are much more effective than oils with a high content of hydrocarbons, ketones or aldehydes. The different sensitivity of bacteria to essential oils depends on the chemical and physical structure of the bacterial cell wall and other structural and functional features of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. Recent studies on the mechanism of action have shown that essential oils and their individual components do not only act on one target of the bacterial cell, but influence multiple targets simultaneously (multi-target effect). In contrast to the convincing in-vitro data only few clinical studies have been carried out to show antibacterial activity of essential oils in humans. Therefore, essential oils are not a substitute for medically indicated antibiotics. On the other hand, currently available experimental and clinical data provide plausible arguments for an experimental application of essential oils, e.g. in uncomplicated bacterial skin infections, bacterial infected and poorly healing wounds as well as fetid tumor ulcerations.

Schlüsselwörter

Ätherische Öle - antimikrobielle Aktivität - Multi-Target-Wirkung - experimentelle und klinische Studien

Key words

Essential oils - antimicrobial activity - multi-target effect - experimental and clinical studies

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