Antimicrobial Properties of <i>Daucus nebrodensis</i> Strobl.: A Multifunctional Essential Oil Against Bacterial Pathogens
<i>Daucus</i> is a large genus of the Apiaceae family, comprising around forty-five accepted species, that has a worldwide distribution. Species of this genus have been reported to have several traditional medicinal uses, and some of them are also largely used as food and spices. <i&g...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/14/2227 |
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| Summary: | <i>Daucus</i> is a large genus of the Apiaceae family, comprising around forty-five accepted species, that has a worldwide distribution. Species of this genus have been reported to have several traditional medicinal uses, and some of them are also largely used as food and spices. <i>Daucus nebrodensis</i> Strobl. is an endemic species of Sicily growing in the montane environments of the Madonie and the Nebrodi Mountains. In this work, the essential oil of <i>D. nebrodensis</i> (<i>Dn</i>EO), collected wild near Messina (Italy), was chemically and biologically investigated. The hydrodistilled essential oil (yield 0.15%), obtained from fresh aerial parts, was evaluated by GC-MS, and It was particularly rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons, with sabinene (33.6%), α-pinene (17.2%), <i>γ</i>-terpinene (9.8%), and α-terpinene (7.6%) as the main metabolites. <i>Dn</i>EO, and its main constituents, have been tested to evaluate their biological properties. Given the current problem of antibiotic resistance, it is of great interest to identify alternative molecules that could counteract the its progression. Therefore, <i>Dn</i>EO was tested against Gram-negative species, such as <i>E. coli</i> DH5α and <i>P. aeruginosa</i> PAOI, and Gram-positive species, such as <i>S. aureus</i> ATCC6538P, <i>B. subtilis</i> AZ54, and <i>M. smegmatis</i> MC<sup>2</sup>155, showing notable antibacterial activity. The MIC for <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>, the most sensitive strain, was 18 mg/mL, while the MIC for <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, the least sensitive strain, was 30 mg/mL. Moreover, interesting antibiofilm activity was observed against <i>Mycobacterium smegmatis</i> with a 55% inhibition. Its ability to form biofilms contributes to its persistence and resistance in clinical settings. These findings highlight the potential of <i>D. nebrodensis</i> EO as a source of bioactive compounds with promising antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties. |
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| ISSN: | 2223-7747 |