Synergistic antibiotic activity of volatile compounds from the essential oil of Lippia sidoides and thymol

• Published in: Fitoterapia Vol. 83; no. 3; pp. 508 - 512
• Main Authors: Veras, Helenicy N.H., Rodrigues, Fabíola F.G., Colares, Aracélio V., Menezes, Irwin R.A., Coutinho, Henrique D.M., Botelho, Marco A., Costa, José G.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.04.2012
• Subjects: aminoglycosides; Aminoglycosides - metabolism; Anti-Bacterial Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotic activity; antibiotics; chemical composition; Drug Synergism; essential oils; Gaseous contact; leaves; Lippia; Lippia - chemistry; Lippia sidoides; Monoterpenes - analysis; Monoterpenes - pharmacology; mucosa; Oils, Volatile - chemistry; Oils, Volatile - isolation & purification; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; pathogens; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - drug effects; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - metabolism; respiratory system; Respiratory Tract Diseases - drug therapy; Respiratory Tract Diseases - microbiology; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; therapeutics; Thymol; Thymol - analysis; Thymol - pharmacology; traditional medicine; volatile compounds; Lippia sidoides; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Gaseous contact; Thymol; Antibiotic activity; Staphylococcus aureus
• ISSN: 0367-326X; 1873-6971
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2011.12.024

Lippia sidoides Cham. (Verbenaceae) is used in the folk medicine as topical antiseptic in skin and mucous membranes and its therapeutic effect is attributed to the thymol presence. The objective of this work was to verify the chemical composition and antibiotic modifying activity of the essential oil extracted from the leaves of L. sidoides and its major component thymol. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. The synergistic activity was evaluated using gaseous contact method. The essential oil was obtained (yield of 1.06%) and the GC/MS analysis identified the main constituents: thymol (84.9%) and p-cymene (5.33%). The antibiotic modifying activity was verified using the minimal inhibitory dose method and gaseous contact. It verified the interference of essential oil and thymol against all tested aminoglycosides. There were no statistical differences between the activity of the essential oil and thymol against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, indicating this to be the responsible composition for such activity. However, the oil was shown more effective when compared to the thymol against Staphylococcus aureus. The essential oil of L. sidoides and its major component thymol influence the activity of aminoglycosides and may be used as adjuvant in antibiotic therapy against respiratory tract bacterial pathogens. [Display omitted]