Chemical composition of fennel essential oil and its impact on Staphylococcus aureus exotoxin production

World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2012 Apr;28(4):1399-405. doi: 10.1007/s11274-011-0939-4. Epub 2011 Nov 16.

Abstract

In this study, fennel oil was isolated by hydrodistillation, and the chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectral analysis. The antimicrobial activity of fennel oil against Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated by broth microdilution. A haemolysis assay, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) release assay, western blot, and real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR were applied to investigate the influence of fennel oil on the production of S. aureus virulence-related exoproteins. The data show that fennel oil, which contains a high level of trans-anethole, was active against S. aureus, with MICs ranging from 64 to 256 μg/ml. Furthermore, fennel oil, when used at subinhibitory concentrations, could dose-dependently decrease the expression of S. aureus exotoxins, including α-toxin, Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / analysis*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Exotoxins / metabolism*
  • Foeniculum / chemistry*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Hemolysis
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Oils, Volatile / isolation & purification
  • Oils, Volatile / pharmacology*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / pathogenicity*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Exotoxins
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha