Comparative Kinetics of Microbial Destruction by the Essential Oils of Thymus broussonettii, T. zygis and T. satureioides

ABSTRACT

Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans cells and Aspergillus niger spores were exposed to lethal doses of Thymus broussonettii, T. zygis and T. satureioides essential oils and the numbers of surviving cells or spores were determined after various durations. T. broussonettii exhibited the greatest potency, followed by T. zygis and T. satureioides. These results were discussed with respect to the chemical composition of the essential oils. C. albicans was slightly more sensitive than S. aureus to essential oil lethal effects, while A. niger was relatively resistant, mainly to T. zygis and T. satureioides: about third to half the number of fungal spores were still alive after 4h exposure to 0.2% of essential oils.

KEY WORD INDEX:

• Thymus broussonettii
• Thymus zygis
• Thymus satureioides
• Labiatae
• essential oil
• antimicrobial activity
• microbial destruction kinetics