Study on Antimicrobial Activities and Stability of Essential Oil from Artemisia argyi

Abstract:

The filter Paper disk disffusion and spread-plate assay were used to determine the antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration （MIC） of essential oil from Artemisia argyi. The effect of antimicrobial activity on stability of acid，base，heat and ultraviolet ray were studied. Results showed that the antimicrobial activitity of the essential oil from Artemisia argyi against three tested microbes were largely different. The essential oil showed strong antimicrobial effect against the Gram positive bacteria while weak effect against Gram negative bacteria. The MICs of the essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus，Bacillus subtilis，Escherichia coli were 2.5，5，10 ?滋L/mL，respectively. The antimicrobial activities of the essential oil were stable under the ultraviolet ray，but were unstable under different temperatures and pH values. The acitivity was much better when the temperure below 40 ℃，and strong in acid and weak in base solution. Chitosan，CaCl2，NaCl can increase the antimicrobial activity，while Chitosan and CaCl2 showed higher effect as compared to NaCl.