ANTIBACTERIAL AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF HYSSOPUS OFFICINALIS OILS

The in vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of the essential oils of Hyssopus officinalis L. (HO) and H. officinalis var. 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 salina Leach) 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. decumbens oil, was the most potent of the pure components tested.