Efecto del aceite esencial de Thymus vulgaris sobre la permeabilidad celular de Salmonella enterica.

Infections with Salmonella spp. (salmonellosis) are the second leading cause of foodborne diseases worldwide. Given the growing emergence of antibiotic resistant strains, alternatives for their treatment are being sought. Essential oils are a powerful natural antibacterial resource that requires more knowledge in understanding the mechanism of action. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of the essential oil of Thymus vulgaris L. from plants cultivated in Cuba on the cell permeability of the Salmonella enterica. A reference strain and a ß-lactam resistant strain were used in the trials. The effects of the essential oil on cell viability at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined through cell death time. The action of the essential oil on cell integrity was evidenced through bacteriolysis, loss of absorbent cell content and total proteins released. The essential oil of T. vulgaris at MIC caused cell death in one hour of contact for both strains. In addition, the release of absorbent cell components at 260 nm and the release of total proteins from both strains by the action of the essence were demonstrated within two hours of treatment, without causing cell lysis. The cytoplasmic membrane is identified as a possible site of action of this Cuban essence on S. enterica, from the release of cell components, which implies structural changes at cell level. The essential oil of T. vulgaris is a promising candidate for the development of antibacterial products for the control of salmonellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]