Antibacterial activity of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Ziziphora clinopodioides against some pathogenic bacteria.

Currently there is an interest to use natural antibacterial compounds, Ziziphora clinopodioides, which is widely used in Iranian traditional medicine for treatment of common cold, gastrointestinal disorders and inflammations, is a member of Labiatae family. Several effects such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory have been reported as the effects of this plant. The antibacterial activity of methanolic extract and essential oil of Ziziphora clinopodioides was determined in this study. The aerial parts of Z. clinopodioides were collected. Plant materials were identified in the herbarium of the department of agricultural faculty of Jiroft Islamic Azad University. The dried and powdered plant materials were extracted by maceration method. Air dried plant material was hydro distilled using a Clevenger type apparatus to produce essential oil. The antibacterial activity of essential oil and methanolic extract were evaluated against Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Salmonella enterica, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus. MICs and MBCs were determined by the broth micro dilution method. The growth of all bacteria except Pseudomonas aeroginosa was inhibited by the essential oil and methanolic extracts of Z. clinopodioides. Minimum inhibitory concentration of essential oil for Listeria monocytogenes was 0.125 μg/ml and for Salmonella enterica and Enterobacter aerogenes was 0.25 μg /ml. MIC of methanolic extract of Z.clinopodioides for Listeria monocytogenes 1 μg/ml and for Salmonella enterica, Enterobacter aerogenes and Staphylococcus aureus was observed 2 μg/ml. The essential oil and methanolic extract of Z. clinopodioides had a strong and broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against many pathogenic bacteria especially Listeria monocytogenes.