Published Paper Details:

With the rise in antibiotic resistance, essential oils--known for their antibacterial qualities--are becoming more and more popular as natural substitutes for traditional antibiotics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of two essential oils--clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and ajwain (Carum copticum)--against a resistant strain of Escherichia coli. The zone of inhibition and colony counting were the two techniques used in the study. Each essential oil was evaluated at varying concentrations (25?l, 50?l, 75?l, and 100?l) while the bacteria were cultured on nutrient agar and nutrient broth. The typical reference antibiotic that was used was amoxicillin. Clove oil showed a bigger inhibition zone than amoxicillin and ajwain oil, with diameters up to 26 mm, according to the zone of inhibition technique results. Further confirming clove oil's greater antibacterial activity, the colony counting method showed a higher inhibition percentage for clove oil (88.3%) than for ajwain oil (75%). The main reason clove oil works so well is because of eugenol, a phenolic component that breaks down bacterial cell walls and prevents vital biological processes. Thymol containing ajwain oil also demonstrated strong antimicrobial properties. The potential application of essential oils, especially clove oil, as strong antibacterial agents against resistant E. coli is highlighted by this study. These results imply that essential oils may be crucial in creating alternative treatment approaches, which is noteworthy given the rise in antibiotic resistance.