Antimycobacterial potential of the juniper berry essential oil in tap water

  • Dolores Peruč Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka; Department of Microbiology, Teaching Institute of Public Health
  • Ivana Gobin Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka
  • Maja Abram Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka / Department of Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka
  • Dalibor Broznić Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka
  • Tomislav Svalina Department of Agricultural Karst, Polytechnic “Marko Marulić” in Knin
  • Sanja Štifter Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka
  • Mladenka Malenica Staver Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka
  • Brigita Tićac Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka / Department of Microbiology, Teaching Institute of Public Health
Keywords: Helichrysum italicum, Juniperus communis, Lavandula hybrida, Laurus nobilis, minimum effective concentration, Mycobacterium gordonae, Mycobacterium intracellulare, nontuberculous mycobacteria, Salvia officinalis, tap water, Thuja occidentalis, water infections, water microdilution

Abstract

Mycobacterium avium complex-related diseases are often associated with poorly maintained hot water systems. This calls for the development of new control strategies. The aim of this study was to investigate the activity of essential oils (EOs) from the Mediterranean plants, common juniper, immortelle, sage, lavandin, laurel, and white cedar against Mycobacterium avium ssp. avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, and Mycobacterium gordonae in culturing broth and freshwater as their most common habitat. To do that, we developed a new method of water microdilution to determine their minimal effective concentrations (MEC). The most active EO was the one from the common juniper with the MEC of 1.6 mg mL-1. Gas chromatography / mass spectrometry the juniper EO identified monoterpenes (70.54 %) and sesquiterpenes (25.9 %) as dominant component groups. The main monoterpene hydrocarbons were α-pinene, sabinene, and β-pinene. The juniper EO significantly reduced the cell viability of M. intracellulare and M. gordonae at MEC, and of M. avium at 2xMEC. Microscopic analysis confirmed its inhibitory effect by revealing significant morphological changes in the cell membrane and cytoplasm of all three bacteria. The mode of action of the juniper EO on the cell membrane was confirmed by a marked leakage of intracellular material. Juniper EO has a great practical potential as a complementary or alternative water disinfectant in hot water systems such as baths, swimming pools, spa pools, hot tubs, or even foot baths/whirlpools.

Published
2018-03-15
How to Cite
1.
Peruč D, Gobin I, Abram M, Broznić D, Svalina T, Štifter S, Malenica Staver M, Tićac B. Antimycobacterial potential of the juniper berry essential oil in tap water. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol [Internet]. 2018Mar.15 [cited 2024Mar.28];69(1). Available from: https://arhiv.imi.hr/index.php/arhiv/article/view/897
Section
Original article