Growth-Inhibiting Effects of Herb Plants on Human Intestinal Bacteria

Essential oils of 21 herb plant samples, using spectrophotometric and paper disc agar diffusion methods under anaerobic conditions, were tested in vitro for their growth-inhibiting activities against Bifidobacterium bifidum, B. longum, Lactobacillus casei, Clostridium perfringens, and Escherichia coli. The responses varied with bacterial strains and plant oils. At 10 mg/disk, all essential oils did not inhibit beneficial intestinal bacteria, except for the oil of Alpinia officinarum and Melaleuca alternifolia against L. casei. Due to their strong growth-inhibitory activities against C. perfringens, E. coli, and L. casei, the activites of nine oils were evaluated at low concentrations. In test with C. perfringens at 1 mg/disk, the oils of Amyris balsamifera, Curcuma longa, M. alternifolia, and Trachyspermum ammi showed moderate activities. Moderate activities against E. coli were observed with the oils of M. alternifolia and T. ammi. These results may be indications of at least one of the pharmacological actions of the four herb plants.