INHIBITION OF BACTERIAL MOBILITY BY TERPENOID COMPOUNDS AND PLANT ESSENTIAL OILS

Abstract

Background: The essential oils of plants and active principles (terpenoids) have antimicrobial effect, since they interact directly with the bacterial membrane causing the leakage of ions and other cytoplasmic compounds, as well as inhibiting the development of mobility and adhesion structures (flagella and fimbriae) in bacteria. Objective: To determine the inhibition of mobility in bacteria from terpenoid compounds and essential oils of plants. Methodology: The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation of the plants Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Syzygium aromaticum, Eucalyptus spp, Mentha spicata, Origanum vulgare and Salvia rosmarinus. The terpenoids: carvacrol, limonene, linalol, terpinene and thymol were identified by gas chromatography. Inhibition of mobility was evaluated in SIM medium. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and main components (PC), from these data they were graphically contrasted to group the treatments that were able to inhibit mobility. Results: The bacteria in order of sensitivity affected by each of the terpenoids and essential oils of plants were Clostridium spp, with 76.2%; E. coli (71.45%) and Salmonella spp (57.1%), so the Pseudomona spp bacteria was the most resistant, presenting a total inhibition percentage of 47.6%. Carvacrol acted as an inhibitor at a concentration of 0.75 mg mL-1 in Clostridium spp and E. coli. Limonene, linalol and thymol, affected mobility in concentrations 0.05, 0.15, 0.75 mg mL-1, on Clostridium spp, E. coli and Salmonella spp. The CP analysis showed the highest correlation of 0.9956 for Pseudomona spp. Implications: The terpeniod compounds and essential oils of plants are an alternative for the synthesis of antibacterial active principles. Conclusions: The inhibition of mobility in Clostridium spp, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp and Pseudomona spp was presented at a concentration of 0.75 mg mL-1 for the terpenoid compounds limonene, linalol and thymol, as well as in the essential oils of peppermint and oregano.