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. 2016 Jul 28;3(3):19. doi: 10.3390/medicines3030019

Table 4.

Essential oils and volatile compounds modulating the antibiotic activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Essential Oil/Volatile Compound Vegetal Source Major Constituent Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain Antibiotic Method Effect Ref.
Thyme EO Thymi herba (Thymus maroccanus L., Lamiaceae, Za’ater/Azukeni) Carvacrol (76.35%) Clinical isolate Ciprofloxacin CB (FICI = 0.15) S [57]
Gentamicin CB (FICI = 0.18) S
Pristinamycin CB (FICI = 0.75) PS
Cefixime CB (FICI = 0.75) PS
Za’atar Essaouiri EO Thymi herba (Thymus broussonetii L., Lamiaceae, Za’atar Essaouiri) Carvacrol (39.77%)
Borneol (12.03%)
Ciprofloxacin CB (FICI = 0.14) S
Gentamicin CB (FICI = 0.28) S
Pristinamycin CB (FICI = 0.75) PS
Cefixime CB (FICI = 0.5) S
Lemon thyme EO Thymi herba (Thymus pulegioides L., Lamiaceae, Lemon thyme/broad-leaved thyme) Geraniol (66.59%) ATCC 27853 Tetracycline CB (FICI = 0.54–0.82) S [74]
CB (FICI = 0.95–1.08) Ad
CB (FICI = 1.16–1.28) A
Streptomycin CB (FICI = 1.20–2.00) A
Chloramphenicol CB (FICI = 0.43–0.87) S
CB (FICI = 0.98–1.09) Ad
Savory EO Saturejae herba (Satureja kitaibelii Wierzb. ex Heuff., Lamiaceae, Savory) Geraniol (50.4%) ATCC 27853 Tetracycline CB (FICI = 0.54–0.82) S [60]
CB (FICI = 0.96–1.10) Ad
CB (FICI = 1.21–1.47) A
Chloramphenicol CB (FICI = 0.43–0.87) S
CB (FICI = 0.98–1.09 ) Ad
Thyme EO Thymi herba (Thymus saturejoides Coss., Lamiaceae, Azoukni) Carvacrol (25.3%)
Borneol (19.7%)
ATCC 27853 Cefixime CB (FICI = 0.28) S [76]
Carvacrol (26.5%)
Borneol (20.1%)
CB (FICI = 0.31)
Carvacrol (45.3%)
Borneol (7.5%)
CB (FICI = 0.29)
Sandarac EO Tetraclinis coni (Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl.) Masters., Cupressaceae, Sandarac) α-Campholenal (16.34%)
Trans-Pinocarveol (15.45%)
Verbenone (13.36%)
Cis-Verbenol (12.36%)
CIPA 22 Amoxicillin CB (FICI = 1.00) Ad [75]
Cidreira-do-mato/cidreira-brava EO Hyptis folium (Hyptis martiusii Benth., Lamiaceae, Cidreira-do-mato/cidreira-brava) Bicyclogermacrene (10.6%)
Trans-Caryophyllene (9.2%)
Caryophyllene oxide (7.4%)
1,8-Cineole (7%)
ATCC 15442 Gentamycin IZGC (+18.9%) S [64]
FR (–) I
Amikacin IZGC (+60%) S
FR4-fold increase in MIC A
Tobramycin IZGC (+12.5%) S
Neomycin FR (–) I
Kanamycin FR (–) I
Marjoram EO Origani folium (Origanum majorana L., Lamiaceae, Marjoram) 4-Terpineol (21.3%) ATCC 9027 Piperacillin IZDC (+41.2%) S [101]
Cefepime IZDC (+10%) S
Meropenem IZDC (+20.5%) S
Gentamicin IZDC (+31.03%) S
Norfloxacin IZDC (−0.03%) A
Sage EO Salviae folium (Salvia officinalis L., Lamiaceae, Sage) 1,8-Cineole (29%) Piperacillin IZDC (+29.4%) S
Cefepime IZDC (−0.03%) A
Meropenem IZDC (+23.5%) S
Gentamicin IZDC (+13.7%) S
Norfloxacin IZDC (−0.16%) A
Thyme EO Thymi herba (Thymus vulgaris L., Lamiaceae, Thyme) Thymol (33.6%) Piperacillin IZDC (+147%) S
Cefepime IZDC (+53.3%) S
Meropenem IZDC (+52.9%) S
Gentamicin IZDC (+37.9%) S
Basil EO Basilici herba (Ocimum basilicum L., Lamiaceae, Basil) Linalool (55.2%) ATCC 25853 Imipenem CB (FICI = 0.75) Ad [99]
Ciprofloxacin CB (FICI = 1.03) I
1662339 Imipenem CB (FICI = 0.0625) S
Ciprofloxacin CB (FICI = 0.09) S
Alecrim-de-tabuleiro EO Lippiae folium (Lippia microphylla Cham., Verbenaceae, Alecrim-de-tabuleiro) 1,8-Cineole (18.1%)
Z-β-Ocimene (15.2%)
Bicyclogermacrene (11.6%)
ATCC 15442 Gentamicin IZGC (+47%) S [112]
Tetracycline IZGC (−14%) A
Creeping lantana EO Lantanae folium (Lantana montevidensis Briq., Verbenaceae, Creeping lantana) β-Caryophyllene (31.50%)
Germacrene D (27.50%)
ATCC 15442 Gentamicin IZGC (+12%) S [113]
Amikacin IZGC (+102%)
Alecrim pimento EO Lippiae folium (Lippia sidoides Cham., Verbenaceae, Alecrim pimento) Thymol (84.9%) ATCC 15442 Gentamycin FR (4-fold reduction in MIC) S [102]
Neomycin FR (2-fold reduction in MIC)
Alecrim-da-chapada EO Lippiae folium (Lippia gracilis Schauer., Verbenaceae, Alecrim-da-chapada) Thymol (44.4%)
Carvacrol (22.2%)
ATCC 15442 Amikacin IZGC S [107]
Tobramycin IZGC
Gentamycin IZGC
Candeeiro EO Vanillosmopsis cortex (Vanillosmopsis arborea Baker., Asteraceae Candeeiro) α-Bisabolol (80.43%) ATCC 15442 Gentamycin IZGC (+8.6%) S [108]
Tetracycline IZGC (−8.0%) A
Tobramycin IZGC (−18.0%) A
Immortelle EO Helichrysi flos (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don, Asteraceae, Immortelle) - PAO1 PA124 Chloramphenicol FR (16-fold reduction in MIC) S [37]
FR (8-fold reduction in MIC) S
Canela de Cunha EO Crotonii folium (Croton zehntneri Pax et Hoffm., Euphorbiaceae Canela de Cunha) Trans-Anethole ATCC 15442 Gentamycin IZGC (+42.8%) S [109]
Tetracycline IZGC (0%) I
Limão-bravo EO Zanthoxylii folium (Zanthoxylum articulatum Engler Rutaceae, Limão-bravo) Viridiflorol (35.4%) ATCC 15442 Gentamycin IZGC (+43.8%) S [106]
Tetracycline IZGC (+9.6%) Ad
Eugenol - NCIM 5029 Ampicillin CB (FICI < 0.50) S [115]
Chloramphenicol
Erythromycin
Norfloxacin
Oxacillin
Penicillin
Polymyxin
Rifampicin
Erythromycin
Thymol - ATCC 15442 Gentamycin FR (4-fold reduction in MIC) S [102]
Neomycin FR (2-fold reduction in MIC)
Geraniol - ATCC 27853 Chloramphenicol CB (FICI = 0.54–0.87) S [60]
CB (FICI = 0.92–1.09) Ad
Tetracycline CB (FICI = 0.76) S
CB (FICI = 0.92–1.10) Ad
CB (FICI = 1.16–1.47) A

A: antagonism; Ad: addition; I: indifference; PS: partial synergy; S: synergy; CB: checkerboard assay; FICI: fractional inhibitory concentration index; FR: fold reduction in MIC; MIC: minimum inhibitory concentration; IZGC (%): percentage change in inhibition zone diameter due to gaseous contact with essential oil/volatile component; IZDC (%): percentage change in inhibition zone diameter due to direct contact with essential oil/volatile component.