Study on the Antimicrobial activity and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of Essential Oils of Spices

Antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of essential oils of garlic, clove and cinnamon were estimated by using various bacterial pathogens. Among the bacterial pathogens tested against essential oil of garlic, Staphylococcus aureus was found to be highly sensitive followed by E. coli. L. monocytogenes and S. pyogenes were found to be less sensitive. The essential oil of clove was found to be most active against S. aureus followed by E. coli. B. cereus and C. jejuni. The essential oil of cinnamon was also most active against S. aureus followed by E. coli and C. jejuni. Essential oil of cinnamon was found to be active against all the bacterial pathogens tested, when compared to garlic and clove oils. However Staph. aureus, E. coli and C. jejuni were found to be most sensitive to the action of essential oils of garlic, clove and cinnamon. Among the bacterial pathogens tested against essential oils of spices to know the MIC by agar diffusion method, C. jejuni was found to be most sensitive to the essential oil of garlic followed by E. coli, S. typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus. L. monocytogenes and Methicillin resistant Staph. aureus were found to be comparatively less sensitive. Essential oil of clove was also found to be highly effective against C. jejuni followed by E. coli, S. typhimurium and S. aureus. Again L. monocytogenes and Methicillin resistant S. aureus were comparatively less sensitive to the action of essential oil of clove. All most all the bacterial pathogens tested were found to be sensitive to the essential oil of cinnamon. However C. jejuni and E. coli were found to be most sensitive followed by S. typhimurium, Staph. aureus and Methicillin resistant Staph. aureus