Screening of antimicrobial activity of essential oil and methanol extract of Satureja hortensis on foodborne bacteria and fungi

The present work reports the in vitro antimicrobial activities of the essential oil and methanol extract from Satureja hortensis as well as the content of its essential oil. The chemical composition of hydrodistilled essential oil of Satureja hortensis was analysed by means of GC-MS. Thirty constituents were identified. The main constituents of the oil were thymol (40.54%), γ-terpinene (18.56%), carvacrol (13.98%), and p-cymene (8.97). The essential oil of Satureja hortensis exhibited the activity against 25 bacteria, 8 fungi, and a yeast, C. albicans; exerting the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration values (MIC) ranging from 15.62 to 250 µl/ml. Similarly, methanol extract of the plant also showed antimicrobial activity.