In vitro effect of the common culinary herb winter savory (Satureja montana) against the infamous food pathogen Campylobacter jejuni

Šimunović, Katarina (author), Bucar, Franz (author), Klančnik, Anja (author), Pompei, Francesco (author), Paparella, Antonello (author), Smole Možina, Sonja (author)

The culinary herb Satureja montana, known as winter savory, is an ingredient of traditional dishes known in different parts of the world. As an ingredient of foods it has the potential to improve their safety. In this study, the herb’s activity was investigated against Campylobacter jejuni, the leading cause of the most prevalent bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. The ethanolic extract and essential oil of the herb were chemically characterized and six pure compounds—carvacrol, thymol, thymoquinone, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, and rosmarinic acid—were chosen for further analysis. The antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract (MIC 250 mg/L) was 4-fold higher compared to the essential oil. Carvacrol, thymol and thymoquinone had the strongest antimicrobial effect (MIC 31.25 mg/L) and a strong synergistic activity between carvacrol and thymol was determined (FICi 0.2). Strong inhibitory effect on C. jejuni efflux pumps (2-fold inhibition) and disruption of membrane integrity (> 80% disruption) of the herb were determined as modes of action. For resistance against the herb, C. jejuni need efflux pumps, although increased resistance against this herb does not co-occur with increased efflux pump activity, as for antibiotics. This study shows the potential of a common culinary herb for the reduction of the food pathogen C. jejuni without increasing resistance.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Satureja montana herb, Campylobacter jejuni, essential oil, ethanolic extract, antimicrobial, synergistic activity, efflux pump inhibition, membrane disruption, carvacrol, thymol
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 9, iss. 4, art. 537
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-133743
• UDC: 579.24/.26:547.9:547.56
• ISSN on article: 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods9040537
• COBISS.SI-ID: 13159683
• Publication date in RUL: 13.12.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Foods
• Shortened title: Foods
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2304-8158
• COBISS.SI-ID: 512252472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 24.04.2020

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: protimikrobno delovanje, rastlinski izvlečki, Satureja montana, izvlečki kraškega šetraja, fenolne spojine, etanolni izvlečki, minimalna inhibitorna koncentracija, patogeni mikroorganizmi, Campylobacter jejuni, izlivne črpalke, inhibitorji izlivnih črpalk, membranske izlivne črpalke, membranska integriteta, sinergija, protimikrobne snovi, karvakrol, timol