Antibacterial Activity of Artemisia

Characterization of Essential Oil

Abstract

Currently, bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become a real problem in the world, which has pushed scientific research towards the search for alternatives represented by secondary metabolites synthesized by medicinal and aromatic plants, especially essential oils. The present study is a bibliographical synthesis characterizing the chemical composition of essential oils as well as the antibacterial activity   of five species belonging to the 'Artemisia' genus: A. absinthium, A. mesatlantica, A. annua, A. herba alba et A. campestris, against gram positive and gram-negative bacteria most resistant to antibiotics generally used in medicine. The study carried out gave the following results: the majority of gram- positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus and gram-negative bacteria such as extended- spectrum beta-lactamase enterobacteriaceae: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have become resistant or even multi-resistant to greater or lesser percentages with conventional antibiotics, even with third generation antibiotics. The essentials oils of the plants studied had a very significant effect against all gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus cereus and Streptococcus as well as against gram negative bacteria: Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis. These oils are generally characterized by their richness in powerful antibacterial substances, especially those belonging to oxygenated monoterpenes. Antibacterial activity is also related to stereochemistry, synergy effect and type of bacteria. Indeed, the essential oils of medicinal and aromatic plants are an excellent natural alternative to the antibiotics currently used in  medicine.