Composition and Antibacterial Effects of Laurel (<i>Laurus nobilis</i> L.) Leaves Essential Oil
Oktay TOMAR, Gökhan Akarca, Veli Gök, Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan
Abstract
In the present study, the chemical composition of laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) leaves essential oil (EO) and its antibacterial effect on common food and water-borne pathogenic bacteria were investigated. The results showed that 1.8-cineol (41.1 %), sabinene (6.96 %), α-pinene (5.94 %), humulene epoxide II (5.73 %), and α-terpinenyl acetate (5.72 %) were the main compounds in the Laurus nobilis leaves EO. The EO showed the highest (P < 0.05) antibacterial effect on Enterococcus faecalis (28.0 mm, zone diameter), followed by Escherichia coli O:157 H:7 (27.1 mm) and Salmonella pullorum (25.2 mm). Regarding MIC/MBC ratios, Laurus nobilis EO had a bacteriocidal effect on all tested food and waterborne pathogens except of Listeria monocytogenes.