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Antibiofilm activity of the essential oil of citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) and its major component, geraniol, on the bacterial biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus

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Abstract

Medicinal plants with antimicrobial action have been investigated for uses against biofilms, among which, Cymbopogon nardus, citronella, stands out as a promising species. The present study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm action of the essential oil of C. nardus (EOCN) and geraniol on Gram-negative and positive bacteria from the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration and inhibition of biofilms. In the results, the EOCN produced a 41 mm halo on S. aureus, which was susceptible with MIC values of 0.5 and 0.25 mg/mL for the EOCN and geraniol respectively, both with bactericidal effect. The antibiofilm action was confirmed, the EOCN and geraniol reduced the biofilm biomass of S. aureus up to 100% between 0.5 and 4 mg/mL concentrations. The reduction of cell viability was 0.25 and 1 mg/mL, of EOCN and geraniol, respectively. EOCN and geraniol were shown to be promising antibiotic against S. aureus.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel -CAPES for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Sciences Center, University Center UNINTA, Sobral, CE, 62050-100, Brazil

    Eveline Kelle Ursulino Pontes, Hider Machado Melo & Nairley Cardoso Sá Firmino

  2. Medical Sciences Center, University Center UNINTA, Sobral, CE, 62050-100, Brazil

    José Walter Araújo Nogueira & Theodora Thays Arruda Cavalcante

  3. Exact Sciences Center, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, 23890-000, Brazil

    Mário Geraldo de Carvalho

  4. Center for Exact, Natural and Technological Sciences, State University of the Tocantina Region of Maranhão, Imperatriz, MA, 65901-480, Brazil

    Francisco Eduardo Aragão Catunda Júnior

Authors
  1. Eveline Kelle Ursulino Pontes
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  2. Hider Machado Melo
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  3. José Walter Araújo Nogueira
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Correspondence to Francisco Eduardo Aragão Catunda Júnior.

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Pontes, E.K.U., Melo, H.M., Nogueira, J.W.A. et al. Antibiofilm activity of the essential oil of citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) and its major component, geraniol, on the bacterial biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus. Food Sci Biotechnol 28, 633–639 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-018-0502-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-018-0502-2

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