Antibacterial Activity of Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Essential Oil Against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Strains Isolated From Skin Lesions In Patients With Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic and inflammatory skin disease, which is has no definitive cure. Several microbial agents have been identified that have a role in the exacerbation of psoriasis, one of which is Staphylococcus aureus. Increased Methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains is a major problem worldwide. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial effect of Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oil on MRSA strains isolated from skin lesions in patients with psoriasis.

In this study, participants were 140 patients with psoriasis referred to the dermatology and rheumatology clinic of Shariati Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Diagnostic tests including gram staining, catalase test, tube coagulase test, mannitol fermentation test, and deoxyribonuclease test were performed. To identify the phenotype of MRSA strains, methicillin susceptibility testing was performed using cefoxitin by disk diffusion method. The antimicrobial activity of Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oil was investigated by broth microdilution method and its minimum inhibitory concentration against MRSA strains was calculated.

Of 140 patients, 43.57% had infection with Staphylococcus aureus and 14.28% had MRSA infection. There was no significant relationship between gender, age and sampling area in patients with MRSA infection. The results showed that Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oil had antimicrobial effects on MRSA strains.

The Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oil can be a suitable alternative to antibiotics for the control and treatment of skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus.