Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activity of Hyssopus officinalisL. Oils

AbstractThe in vitroantimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of the essential oils of Hyssopus officinalisL. (HO) and H. officinalisvar. decumbens(HOD) was determined using minimum time period required to kill Staphylococcus aureus(ATCC 6538 P) and Streptococcus sanguis(ATCC 10556). Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the brine shrimp (Artemia salinaLeach) test by determining the percent of nauplii dead within 24 h. At the minimal concentration tested (0.1% w/v), killing time was 8 min for HOD and 15–30 min for HO. In the brine shrimp test, HOD had a LC50(the concentration that would kill 50% of the brine shrimps within 24 h) lower than HO (156.03 μg/mL vs 191.06 mg/mL). Linalool, the main component of H. officinalis L.var. decumbensoil, was the most potent of the pure components tested.