The aim of this research paper is to test the antistaphylococcal effect of 1,8‐cineole, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMC), and gentamicin, either separately or in combination against three Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from patients suffering from osteomyelitis. This activity was tested in vitro by using the microdilution method and the checkerboard assay. The efficacy of these three antibacterial agents was then tested in vivo by using an experimental model of methicillin‐resistant S. aureus osteomyelitis in rabbits. This efficacy was assessed after four days of treatment by counting the number of bacteria in the bone marrow. The obtained results in vitro showed that the combination of the AMC with gentamicin did not induce a synergistic effect, whereas the combination of the two antibiotics with 1,8‐cineole did. This effect is stronger when AMC is combined with 1,8‐cineole as a total synergistic effect was obtained on the three strains used (FIC ≤ 0.5). In vivo, a significant reduction was noted in the number of colonies in the bone marrow when rabbits were treated with AMC associated with either 1,8‐cineole or gentamicin compared to rabbits treated with AMC, gentamicin, or 1,8‐cineole alone. These results demonstrated that 1,8‐cineole showed a synergistic effect in combination with both AMC and gentamicin, which offer possibilities for reducing antibiotic usage. Also, the AMC associated with 1,8‐cineole could be used to treat MRSA osteomyelitis.

This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of oregano and clove essential oils and their main components (thymol, carvacrol and eugenol) against Penicillium digitatum, as well as against isolates of Penicillium italicum and Geotrichum candidum resistant to imazalil or guazatine, respectively. In vitro tests were conducted by a direct contact method on potato dextrose agar medium. The results indicated that the essential oils and their main components were effective in inhibiting fungal growth, with thymol displaying the highest efficacy. The antifungal activity of thymol was evaluated further on orange fruit infected experimentally with a suspension of spores of P. digitatum, G. candidum or a mixture of both fungi, using isolates resistant to chemical fungicides. Treatment of the oranges with the thymol solutions reduced or totally inhibited the development of fruit decay, depending on the thymol concentration used. These essential oils and their main components demonstrated a strong antifungal effect against Penicillium spp. and G. candidum resistant to chemical fungicides. They may have potential as active compounds for the formulation of natural preparations to use as alternatives to synthetic fungicides for the management of green, blue and sour rot in citrus fruit.

The purpose of the present study is twofold. First, it aims to evaluate the synergistic action of the ß-lactam antibiotic; AMX is associated with 1,8-cineole on six clinical isolates of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. Second, it aims to determine the effect this association has on the ESBL enzymatic resistance mechanism. The synergistic action of AMX/1,8-cineole was evaluated using partial inhibitory concentrations (PIC), determined by a microplate, a checkerboard and time–kill assays. The effect of AMX/1,8-cineole associations on the ESBL enzymatic resistance mechanism was evaluated using a new optimized enzymatic assay. This assay was based on the determination of the AMX antibacterial activity when combined with 1,8-cineole (at subinhibitory concentrations) in the presence or absence of the ß-lactamase enzyme toward a sensitive E. coli strain. The results of both checkerboard and time–kill assays showed a strong synergistic action between AMX and 1,8-cineole. The results of the enzymatic assay showed that the combination of AMX with 1,8-cineole notably influences the enzymatic resistance of the reaction by decreasing the affinity of the β-lactam antibiotic, AMX, to the β-lactamase enzyme. All obtained results suggested that the AMX/1,8-cineole association could be employed in therapy to overcome bacterial resistance to AMX while reducing the prevalence of resistance.

Background and objective: Cryptosporidiosis is a common gastrointestinal disorder in humans and animals caused by various Cryptosporidium species. At present, many antiparasitic drugs have been tested but only a few have been shown to be partially effective in treating cryptosporidiosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of some essential oils and their major compounds (MCs) to destroy both species of Cryptosporidium: C. baileyi and C. galli. Materials and methods: A screening of the oocysticidal activity of five EOs and three MCs was carried using the direct contact method in a liquid medium. The release of substances absorbing at 273 nm was measured after treatment of Cryptosporidium oocysts with thymol and carvacrol. Results: Among the EOs tested those of thyme, oregano and clove as well as their MCs; thymol, carvacrol and eugenol were the most effective, with low LC50 (<0.4 mg mL–1). The release of substances absorbing at 273 nm after treatment of Cryptosporidium oocysts with thymol and carvacrol show that the treatment of oocysts with these components led to their lysis in a dose and time-dependent manner. Conclusion: We were able to conclude that these EOs and their MCs are of particular interest in fighting cryptosporidiosis since they have a destructive effect on oocysts at very low concentrations. They could also help in the formulation of radical and safe solutions to cryptosporidiosis.

Fried foods and frying oil are subjects that warrant the attention of researchers because of their high consumption. Indeed, frying conditions make these oils very sensitive to lipid oxidation which deteriorates the quality and nutritional properties of the food. In this study, we examined the effect of rosemary extract (ROE), known for its high antioxidant activity, in soybean oil used to fry breaded butterfly shrimp, by measuring the induction period with OXIPRES, total polar material (TPM), peroxide index (PI), and free fatty acids (FFA). This evaluation was performed in comparison with control oils without antioxidants. The results showed a significant difference between the oils according to the analyzed parameters, especially in the final hours of frying. The treatment of the oil with rosemary extract effectively delayed its oxidation, having lower levels in all the oxidation markers that were analyzed. It was also found that rosemary extract is able to reduce oil consumption by fried foods. Therefore, ROE ensures soybean oil a high stability against oxidation and a longer shelf life, making it a good natural alternative to synthetic antioxidants.

This study aims at verifying, in vitro, the extent to which the use of amoxicillin or thymol induces the selection of resistant bacteria and at evaluating in vivo their effects on the development of antimicrobial resistance in the intestinal flora of poultry. E. coli strain was subcultured on agar plates containing increasing concentrations of either amoxicillin or thymol. Thereafter, minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of thymol, amoxicillin, and two other antibiotics, tylosin and colistin, were determined using the microdilution method. Groups of chicks were subjected to a 2-week regime of either amoxicillin or thymol added to their drinking water. During the treatment with either thymol or amoxicillin, the total aerobic mesophilic flora (TAMF) was counted on thymol-gradient plates or amoxicillin-gradient plates and the MICs of antibiotics and thymol for E. coli isolates were determined. The in vitro test showed that for E. coli, which had been serially subcultured on increasing concentrations of amoxicillin, a 32-fold increase in MIC values for amoxicillin and a 4-fold increase for colistin and tylosin were noted. However, the MIC of thymol for this strain remained constant. For the E. coli, which had been serially subcultured on increasing concentrations of thymol, no change in the MIC values for antibiotics and thymol was observed. The in vivo test confirmed the in vitro one. It demonstrated that exposure to amoxicillin induced a selection of antimicrobial resistance in TAMF and intestinal E. coli, whereas exposure to thymol did not. The results showed that the group receiving thymol had a lower consumption index compared to the other groups. This study demonstrates the feasibility of this natural product as an alternative solution to the current use of antibiotics in poultry farming.