A study of growth inhibitory effect of essential oils of seven species from different families on some kinds of microbes

In this study essential oils of 7 species from Compositae, Labiatae, Graminae, Dipsacaceae and Capparidaceae families including: Achillea wilhelmsii, Acroptilon repens, Centaurea depressa, Salvia suffruticosa, Cymbopogon olivieri, Pterocephalus canus and Cleome iberica were extracted by hydrodistillation method and their antimicrobial effects on some kinds of microbes including three species of Staphylococcus genus (aureus, epidermidis, saprophyticus), Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri and Escherichia coli were investigated. The antibacterial properties of essential oils were tested by repeated experiments using the evaluation of diameter of the growth inhibitory zone with well method. The results showed that the essential oils extracted from aerial parts of plants have antimicrobial effects. Among species, Cymbopogon olivieri, Achillea wilhelmsii and Salvia suffruticosa showed stronger antibacterial effect. Acroptilon repens, only inhibited the growth of Gram (+) bacteria. Pterocephalus canus showed the lowest antibacterial effect. Two species Cleome iberica and Centaurea depressa have the moderate effect on the Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria.