The effect of chitosan nanogel and essential oil of peppermint (Menthapiperita) on clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii in-vitro

One of the major problems presented to health care systems is the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Today, natural substances, such as essential oils with antimicrobial properties, are increasingly used as an alternative to antibiotics. The present study aimed to assess the effect of chitosan nanogels containing essential oil of peppermint (Mentha Piperita) on clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii in vitro.

In this cross-sectional study, Acinetobacter baumannii were isolated from selected hospitals in Khorramabad. After preparing nanogels containing peppermint essential oil (Mentha Piperita), the minimum inhibitory concentration of chitosan nanogels on Acinetobacter baumannii isolates was determined by micro broth dilution method in a 96-well plate according to Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute instructions.

  The mean minimum inhibitory concentrations of nanoparticles without essential oil of peppermint, containing peppermint, and gentamicin were 47±496, 48±301, and 25±25, respectively. This is indicative of the high sensitivity of the assessed strains to gentamicin, in comparison with the other two groups (P≤0.001) and the more effective performance of Menthapiperita in the inhibition of the growth of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates, as compared to nanoparticles without peppermint essential oil (P≤0.001).

The obtained results of the present study pointed to the effective ability of chitosan nanogels containing peppermint essential oil to inhibit the growth of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates, in comparison with non-essential nanoparticles (Mentha Piperita).