Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oil of Lippia oreganoides against Multiresistant Bacterial Strains of Nosocomial Origin

Abstract

Antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Lippia oreganoides was evaluated against thirty-nine multiresistant bacterial strains of nosocomial origin and five reference bacterial strains using the disk diffusion agar method. The results obtained have revealed strong antibacterial activity against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended spectrum β-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, and multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii with MIC values ranging from 20 to 40 μg/mL. The low dose antibacterial activity observed in this investigation suggested that the essential oil of L. oreganoides could be used in pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of infections caused by multiresistant bacteria. According to the literature consulted, this is the first time that antibacterial activity of this species against multiresistant bacterial strains of nosocomial origin has been reported.