Abstract: |
Listeria are Gram-negative intracellular foodborne pathogens that can cause invasive
infections with high mortality rates. In this work, the antibacterial activity of ten essential oils, infusion
extracts, and decoction extracts of some medicinal plants was tested against Listeria monocytogenes and
listeria ivanovii strains. The effects of different physical conditions including temperature, pH, sodium
chloride, and some organic acids were studied. The results showed that the water extracts gave the
maximum bacterial inhibition, while ethanolic extract was inactive against the tested Listeria spp. The
antibiotic sensitivity of L. monocytogenes LMG10470 and L. ivanovii LMZ11352 was tested against five
antibiotics including imipenem, levofloxacin, amikacin, ampicillin, and amoxicillin. Imipenem was
the most effective antibiotic, resulting in inhibition zones of 40 mm and 31 mm for L. monocytogenes
and L. ivanovii, respectively. When imipenem mixed with Syzygium aromaticum oil, Salvia officinalis
oil, Pimpinella anisum infusion, and Mentha piperita infusion each, the water extract of Moringa oleifera
leaves and seeds against LMG10470 and LMZ11352 resulted in broader antibacterial activity. The
antimicrobial activity of both Pimpinella anisum and Mentha piperita plant extracts is related to a variety
of bioactive compounds indicated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of these two
plant extracts. These two plant extracts seemed to contain many chemical compounds elucidated by
gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and infrared radiation spectra. These compounds
could be classified into different chemical groups such as ethers, heterocyclic compounds, aromatic
aldehydes, condensed heterocyclic compounds, ketones, alicyclic compounds, aromatics, esters,
herbicides, saturated fatty acids, and unsaturated fatty acids. The use of these natural compounds
seems to be a useful technological adjuvant for the control of Listeria spp. in foods.
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