Inhibition of virulence enzymes of Staphylococcus aureus using essential oils and alcoholic extracts of some plants

Aims: Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen that causes many threatening diseases, and its severity is linked to its possession of virulence factors that help it colonize and promote bacterial infection.This study looked into the possibilities of suppressing virulence enzymes in S. aureus employing essential oils and alcoholic extracts of cinnamon, ginger, peppermint, pomegranate peels and grape seeds.The studied virulence enzymes included betalactamase, hemolysin, urease, lecithinase, lipase and protease.Methodology and results: According to the results, the MIC values of the essential oils ranged from 100-300 L/mL.The MIC values for the alcoholic extracts examined ranged from 125-300 mg/mL.Cinnamon oil inhibited both lecithinase and lipase.Its alcoholic extract inhibited the hemolysin and beta-lactamase.The alcoholic extract of ginger inhibited hemolysin and lipase.Peppermint extract inhibited just lecithinase production, but pomegranate peel alcoholic extract inhibited protease, lecithinase and hemolysin production.Pomegranate peel oil also inhibited protease production.However, neither grape seed oil nor its alcoholic extract affected the virulence enzymes examined.Conclusion, significance and impact of study: It is concluded that several plant extracts and their studied essential oils can inhibit the virulence enzymes of S. aureus.