Eficácia in vitro do óleo essencial de capim-limão (cymbopogon flexuosus steud. wats.) frente a bactérias entéricas de origem avícola

Abstract

The use of antimicrobials as performance enhancers has represented a risk to public health due to their association with the emergence of bacterial resistance and residues in products. Alternatively, researches have indicated the use of natural food additives, such as “capim-limão” essential oil.This paper aims to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of “capim-limão” essential oil (Cymbopogon flexuosus) against enteric Staphylococcus aureusand Escherichia coliisolated from laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). Five concentrations of the essential oil (160; 80; 40; 20 and 10 μL mL-1) were prepared and then in vitrodisk diffusion tests and determination of both Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were performed. The results showed that the concentration of 160 μL mL-1provides the largest inhibition zone diameters in disk diffusion, showing statistical differences in relation to the other concentrations (p<0.05). There was inhibitory effect (MIC) at the concentration of 80 μL mL-1, but the bactericidal effect was not found. The conclusion was that the “capim-limão” essential oil has antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and E. coliisolated from poultry at the concentration of 160 μL mL-1. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of using higher doses and indicate that oil as an additive in poultry diets.