Influence of geographical origin on antimicrobial activity of Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oils

Abstract

As a worldwide cultivar, Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) in form of essential oils, extracts, and spice possesses many pharmacological properties due to different biological activities. Interestingly, the chemical profile of rosemary depends on regionality, seasonality, environmental conditions, agronomic conditions, and its own varieties. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the impact of geographical origin on the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils. Screening of the in vitro antimicrobial activity was performed by the discdiffusion and microdilution methods. It can be noticed that Russian oil (RF) showed far better antimicrobial potential in comparison to Serbian oil (SRB). In the case of RF, the maximum inhibition zone of 40.00 mm was registered for all tested microorganisms, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21.33 mm) and Aspergillus brasiliensis (33.00 mm) where the activity might be estimated as moderate to high. These results can indicate the possibility of using RF as a natural ingredient in combating the microbial and antimycotic resistance toward antibiotics. A high antimicrobial activity (above 30.00 mm) was also observed for SRB against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.