Illóolajok és komponenseik kölcsönhatásának, valamint antibakteriális tulajdonságának vizsgálata légúti megbetegedést okozó baktériumtörzseken

Abstract

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs), which mostly occur from autumn to spring, affects people of all ages. Based on pathogenicity, bacteria, viruses, and fungi are the most common cause of these diseases. Therefore, their proper treatment requires complex therapy which can be influenced by secondary bacterial infections. The excessive use of antimicrobials leads to the growing appearance of antibiotic resistant pathogens producing serious problems in medicinal health care nowadays. As a result, efficacy of classic antibiotics is decreasing, they are becoming totally ineffective against these pathogens several times. Therefore, discovery of new alternative treatments, which could support the medical therapy of RTIs, is an important challenge nowadays. Essential oils (EOs) are hydrophobic, natural extracts with complex composition whose antimicrobial effects have been known and used in medicine from ancient times. The application of EOs via inhalation is becoming more frequent nowadays, especially in the case of bacterial infections. Volatile components can easily reach the respiratory tract, the direct contact of fragrances and the infected surface is an advantage of this form of treatment. Multicomponent composition of EOs also gives them benefit against antibiotic-resistant strains. The increasing interest about herbal medicines and their application by the patients requires updated and evidence based knowledge from health care professionals. We must note that the administration of EOs is mostly based on their tradicional use, in several cases more experiments are needed for the determination of their mode of action, dosage and toxicity. In the last decade, the antimicrobial potentials of EOs were studied by several in vitro techniques, but the results mostly focused on the antimicrobial activity of the EOs in liquid media. In the treatment of RTIs, the patients inhale the volatile components through their nose or mouth, hence investigation of the antibacterial activity of EOs’ vapor would be highly important. For the detection of antimicrobial activity of EO volatiles, several in vitro vapor phase techniques exist, however, respiratory tract pathogens are used only in a few studies. Besides, the discovery of new therapeutic alternatives and combination of the effective techniques are another possible solutions. Based on this possibility, in the last decade, several studies focused on the interaction of EOs, volatiles and antibiotics in combination.