Skip to main content
. 2016 Dec 20;2016:3012462. doi: 10.1155/2016/3012462

Table 1.

Chemical composition of various essential oils and their antibacterial activity against human pathogens.

MAPs Part used Major chemical compounds Inhibited microorganisms References
Achillea clavennae Leaves and flowers Camphor, myrcene, 1,8-cineole, β-caryophyllene, linalool, geranyl acetate Klebsiella pneumonia, Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa [18]

Achillea fragrantissima Aerial parts Yomogi alcohol, 1,8-cineole, artemisia alcohol, thujone Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli [19]

Achillea ligustica Aerial parts Viridiflorol, terpinen-4-ol Streptococcus mutans [20]

Artemisia absinthium Aerial parts Myrcene, trans-thujone, trans-sabinyl acetate E. coli, S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis [21]

Artemisia biennis Aerial parts (Z)-Beta-ocimene, (E)-beta-farnesene, acetylenes, (Z)- and (E)-En-yn-dicycloethers E. coli, S. aureus, S. epidermidis [21]

Artemisia cana Aerial parts Santolina triene, alpha-pinene, camphene E. coli, S. aureus, S. epidermidis [21]

Artemisia dracunculus Aerial parts Methylchavicol, methyl eugenol, beta-phellandrene, terpinolene E. coli, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, Brochothrix thermosphacta, Listeria innocua, L. monocytogenes, Pseudomonas putida, Shewanella putrefaciens [21, 22]

Artemisia longifolia Aerial parts Alpha-pinene, camphene, 1,8-cineole E. coli, S. aureus, S. epidermidis [21]

Artemisia frigida Aerial parts 1,8-Cineole, methylchavicol, camphor E. coli, S. aureus, S. epidermidis [21]

Cinnamomum zeylancium Bark, leaves Cinnamaldehyde Enterobacteriaceae, S. aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, S. pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium, Bacillus cereus, Acinetobacter lwoffii, Enterobacter aerogenes, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Clostridium perfringens, Mycobacterium smegmatis [23, 24]

Copaifera officinalis Essential oil β-Caryophyllene, β-bisabolene, germacrene B, α-copaene, germacrene D, α-humulene, δ-cadinene S. aureus, E. coli [25]

Coriandrum sativum Leaves 2E-Decenal, decanal, 2E-decen-1-ol, n-decanol S. aureus, Bacillus spp., E. coli, Salmonella typhi, K. pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, P. aeruginosa [26, 27]

Cuminum cyminum Leaves γ-Terpin-7-al, γ-terpinene, β-pinene, cuminaldehyde S. typhimurium, E. coli [28]

Cymbopogon citratus Fruit Ethanolic compounds Enterobacteriaceae, S. aureus [29]

Cymbopogon nardus Leaves, stems Δ2-Carene, beta-citronellal Brochothrix thermosphacta, E. coli, Listeria innocua, L. monocytogenes, P. putida, S. typhimurium, S. putrefaciens [22]

Cyperus longus Arial part β-Himachalene, α-humulene, γ-himachalene S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, L. monocytogenes, E. faecium, S. Enteritidis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa [30]

Daucus littoralis Leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruits Germacrene D, acorenone B S. aureus, E. coli [31]

Dracocephalum foetidum Leaves n-Mentha-1,8-dien-10-al, limonene, geranial, neral B. subtilis, S. aureus, M.luteus, E. hirae, S. mutans, E. coli [32]

Eremanthus erythropapps Leaves (Z)-Caryophyllene, germacrene D, viridiflorol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene S. epidermidis [33]

Eugenia caryophyllata Flower buds Phenylpropanoids such as carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde S. epidermidis [34]

Euphrasia rostkoviana Essential oil n-Hexadecanoic acid, thymol, myristic acid, linalool E. faecalis, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa [35]

Foeniculum vulgare Leaves Trans-anethole, methylchavicol, limonene S. typhimurium, E. coli [28]

Fortunella margarita Leaves Gurjunene, eudesmol, muurolene B. subtilis, S. aureus, Sarcina luta, S. faecalis, E. coli, K. pneumonia, P. aeruginosa [36]

Juniperus phoenicea Arial part α-Pinene, β-phellandrene, α-terpinyl acetate S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, L. monocytogenes, E. faecium, S. Enteritidis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa [30]

Laurus nobilis Arial part Eucalyptol (1,8-cineole), linalool Mycobacterium smegmatis, E. coli [37]

Lavandula x intermedia “Provence” (Blue Lavandin) (a cross between L. angustifolia, L. Latifolia) Arial part Camphor, eucalyptol (1,8-cineole), linalool, β-pinene, α-pinene M. smegmatis, E. coli [37]

Juniperus excelsa Leaves and twigs α-Pinene, α-cedrol, δ-car-3-ene S. aureus [38]

Lippia sidoides Leaves Thymol and carvacrol S. mutans, S. sanguis, S. salivarius, S. mitis [39]

Mentha piperita Arial part S. aureus, S. typhimurium, V. parahaemolyticus [40]

Mentha pulegium Arial part Piperitone, piperitenone, α-terpineol, pulegone S. aureus, S. epidermidis, B. cereus, L. monocytogenes, E. coli, S. typhimurium, V. cholera, L. monocytogenes, E. faecium, S. Enteritidis [30]

Mentha suaveolens Arial part Pulegone, piperitone, cis-cis-p-menthenolide, limonene germacrene Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis, S. xylosus [41]

Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil) Essential oil Terpinen-4-ol, 1,8-cineole, γ-terpinene, α-terpinene, terpinolene E. coli, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, P. aeruginosa, M. avium, H. influenzae, S. pyogenes, S. pneumonia [42, 43]

Momordica charantia Seed Trans-nerolidol, apiole, cis-dihydrocarve,ol germacrene D E. coli, S. aureus [44]

Myrtus communis Leaves Eugenol, α-terpineol, γ-terpinene S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, E. durans, Salmonella Typhi, E. coli, B. subtilis, M. tuberculosis, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumonia, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, E. cloacae [30, 45]

Nigella sativa Seeds Thymoquinone, p-cymene, α-thujene, thymohydroquinone, longifolene S.  aureus, B.  cereus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa [46]

Ocimum gratissimum Leaves Eugenol, methyl eugenol, cis-ocimene, trans-ocimene, α-pinene, camphor S. aureus, Bacillus spp. E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. typhi, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, E. cloacae [26, 47]

Ocimum kilimandscharicum Flowers and leaves Eugenol, borneol, linalool, methyl eugenol B. subtilis, S. aureus, Citrobacter youngae, E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Micrococcus spp., Proteus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Salmonella spp. [48]

Origanum vulgare Leaves, Arial part Carvacrol, thymol, γ-terpinene, trans-sabinene hydrate, cis-piperitol, borneol, terpinen-4-ol, linalool Clostridium botulinum, C. perfringens, L. monocytogenes, E. coli, S. choleraesuis, S. typhimurium, S. aureus, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella sonnei, Sarcina lutea, M. flavus, K. pneumoniae, K. oxytoca [4956]

Ocimum basilicum Leaves, stems γ-Terpinene, methylchavicol Brochothrix thermosphacta, E. coli, L. innocua, L. monocytogenes, P. putida, S. typhimurium, S. putrefaciens, M. flavus [22, 57]

Petroselinum sativum Leaves, stems Myristicin, apiol, 1,2,3,4-tetramethoxy-5-(2-propenyl)- benzene B. thermosphacta, E. coli, L. innocua, L. monocytogenes, P. putida, S. typhimurium, S. putrefaciens [22]

Piper nigrum Essential oil Limonene, δ-3-carene, α-pinene, β-caryophyllene, β-pinene, sabinene, α-felandeno, myrcene, para-cymene, linalool, terpinolene, β-selinene, 1,8 cineole, α-terpinene, α-humulene, α-copaene, eugenol, terpinen-4-ol, camphene, safrole S. aureus, E. coli [25]

Pimpinella anisum Seed Trans-anethole S. typhimurium, E. coli [58]

Plectranthus barbatus Leaves (Z)-Caryophyllene, germacrene D, viridiflorol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene S. epidermidis [4, 33]

P. amboinicus Leaves (Z)-Caryophyllene, germacrene D, viridiflorol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene S. epidermidis [4, 33]

Plectranthus neochilus Leaves α-Pinene, β-pinene, trans-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide E. faecalis, S. salivarius, S. sobrinus, S. sanguinis, S. mitis, L. casei, S. mutans [4, 59]

Pogostemon cablin Leaves Patchoulol, δ-guaieno; gurjunene-α, α-guaiene, aromadendrene, β-patchoulene K. pneumonia, H. pylori, E. coli, B. subtilis, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, E. faecalis [1, 6064]

Rosmarinus officinalis Leaves, flower Camphor, camphene, limonene, geraniol, myrcene, linalool benzoylacetate, linalool, α-pinene, α-terpinolene, bornyl acetate, borneol E. coli, S. typhimurium, B. cereus, Bacillus subtilis, S. aureus, S. agalactiae, S. epidermidis, S. aureus, P. vulgaris, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumonia, E. faecalis, B. thermosphacta, L. innocua, L. monocytogenes, P. putida, S. typhimurium, S. putrefaciens, M. smegmatis [22, 37, 65, 66]

Satureja hortensis Arial part Carvacrol, thymol, γ-terpinene C. botulinum, C. perfringens, [49]

Salvia sclarea Arial part Linalool, linalyl acetate, geranyl acetate, β- ocimene acetate, caryophyllene oxide S. aureus, S. agalactiae, S. epidermis, E. coli, Proteus vulgaris, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumonia, E. faecalis, B. pumilus, B. subtilis, S. typhimurium [6770]

Salvia officinalis Arial part α-Thujone, camphor, 1,8-cineole, α-pinene S. aureus, P. stuartii, P. stuartii, E. coli, Shigella sonnei, Sarcina lutea, M. flavus, B. thermosphacta, E. coli, L. innocua, L. monocytogenes [17, 22, 70]

Salvia lavandulifolia Essential oil Camphor, α-thujone, beta-thujone, camphene, α-pinene, terpineol P. vulgaris, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumonia, E. faecalis [68, 70]

Satureja cuneifolia Aerial parts Carvacrol and p-cymene E. coli, Campylobacter jejuni, S. sonnei, S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, B. cereus, P. aeruginosa, S. enteritidis [71]

Struchium sparganophora Leaves β-Caryophyllene, germacrene A, α-humulene, germacrene D S. typhi, B. cereus, P. mirabilis, P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis [72]

Syzygium aromaticum Leaves, flower bud Eugenol, eugenylacetate P. aeruginosa, Enterobacteriaceae [22, 25]

Syzygium cumini Leaves α-Pinene, β-pinene, trans- caryophyllene, 1,3,6-octatriene, delta-3-carene, α-caryophyllene, α-limonene E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, N. gonorrhoeae, B. subtilis, S. aureus [73]

Trachyspermum ammi Seeds K. pneumoniae, E. coli, S. aureus [74]

Thymus vulgaris Arial part Thymol, linalool, carvacrol, 1,8-cineole, eugenol, camphor, camphene, α-pinene, borneol, β-pinene L. monocytogenes, E. coli,S. typhimurium, S. aureus, C. botulinum, C. perfringens, S.  sonnei, S. lutea, M.  flavus, B. thermosphacta, L. innocua, L. monocytogenes, P. putida, S. putrefaciens [22, 40, 49, 53, 54, 75, 76]

Thymus zygis Essential oil S. choleraesuis, S. typhimurium, E. coli [50]

Thymus mastichina Leaves, stems m-Thymol, carvacrol, trans-caryophyllene B. thermosphacta, E. coli, L. innocua, L. monocytogenes, P. putida, S. typhimurium, S. putrefaciens [22]

Thymus kotschyanus Arial part Carvacrol, 1,8 cineole, thymol, borneol, E-caryophyllene S. aureus, S. epidermidis, B. cereus, E. coli [77]

Thuja sp. (Thuja plicata, Thuja occidentalis) Essential oil Alpha-thujone and beta-thujone P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, E. coli [68]

Verbena officinalis Arial part Borneol, geranoil S. aureus, E. coli, S. typhimurium, L. monocytogenes [78]

Warionia saharae Arial part β-Eudesmol, trans-nerolidol, linalool, 1,8 cineole, camphor, p-cymene, terpinen-4-ol S. aureus, B. cereus, P. aeruginosa, E. coli [79]