Antimicrobial activity of mint essential oils

TLDR: The main p-menthane components of the tested essential oils showed a variable degree of antimicrobial activity not only between different bacterial strains but also between different strains of the same bacteria.

Abstract: The essential oils obtained from two mint species, Mentha pulegium and Mentha spicata, exhibited antimicrobial properties against eight strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The essential oils of these mint species at high concentration (1/100 dilution) were extremely bactericidal, whereas lower concentrations (1/1000) caused a dose-dependent decrease in bacterial growth rates. The main p-menthane components of the tested essential oils showed a variable degree of antimicrobial activity not only between different bacterial strains but also between different strains but also between different strains of the same bacteria.