Essential oils in ocular pathology: an experimental study

Introduction: The antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) has been known for ages; in particular, the EOs of Melaleuca alternifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita, and Rosmarinus officinalis have been used for the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections. Methodology: This study focus...

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Main Authors: Sara Cannas, Donatella Usai, Antonio Pinna, Stefania Benvenuti, Roberta Tardugno, Matthew Donadu, Stefania Zanetti, Jayaraman Kaliamurthy, Paola Molicotti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2015-07-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/6842
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Summary:Introduction: The antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) has been known for ages; in particular, the EOs of Melaleuca alternifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita, and Rosmarinus officinalis have been used for the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections. Methodology: This study focused on the in vitro cytotoxicity to normal human conjunctiva cells and antimicrobial activity of 20 EOs. Results: The oils tested showed no cytotoxic effect at very low concentrations. Rosmarinus officinalis, Melaleuca alternifolia, and Thymus vulgaris L. red thyme geraniol sel oils had good antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. Conclusions: The results of this study are of great interest and may have a major impact on public health, providing useful tips to optimize the therapeutic use of some natural drugs.
ISSN:1972-2680