Aromatherapeutic essential oils and their pharmaceutical combinations: Tools for inhibition of quorum sensing activity and biofilm formation of human pathogens

• Published in: Istanbul journal of pharmacy Vol. 52; no. 1; pp. 54 - 63
• Main Authors: Özfenerci,Müjgan, Bali,Elif Burcu, Erdönmez,Demet, Koca Çalışkan,Ufuk
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: İstanbul Üniversitesi Yayınları 01-04-2022
• Subjects: Eczacılık; Tıp; İstanbul; Türkiye; Antibiofilm; quorum sensing; Synergistic effect; Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1; Aromatherapeutic essential oils
• ISSN: 2548-0731; 2587-2087
• DOI: 10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2022.998774

Background and Aims: Aromatherapy, as one of the complementary therapies, uses essential oils as the main therapeutic
agents to treat several diseases. In the present study, it was aimed to investigate inhibition of quorum sensing (QS) and biofilm
formation of aromatherapeutic essential oils (AEOs) and their pharmaceutical combinations (PC-I and PC-II).
Methods: The anti-QS potential of AEOs were determined using the biosensor strains Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC
12472 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. Anti-QS activity was detected by agar-well diffusion and violacein pigment inhibition
assays. Blocking of PAO1 swim and swarm motilities and biofilm formation was also performed.
Results: Most of the AEOs demonstrated highly active (>95%) violacein pigment inhibition. Additionally, they inhibited
swarming (40.34%-72.80%) and swimming (20.06%-50.08%) motilities of PAO1. Moreover, the majority of AEOs also decreased
the biofilm formation, particularly on P. aeruginosa and S. aureus.
Conclusion: Consequently, aromatherapeutic formulations might be a complementary or prophylactic cure for infectious disease
by their anti-QS and antibiofilm activities rather than just antimicrobial effects.