Peucedanum japonicum and Citrus unshiu essential oils inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant skin pathogens

Abstract

In this study, the chemical compositions and the anti-bacterial activities of hydrodistilled essential oils of the whole parts of Peucedanum japonicum and the immature fruits of Citrus unshiu were investigated. The chemical constituents of the P. japonicum (PJE) and Citrus unshiu (CUE) essential oils were further analyzed by GC-MS and their major components were β-pinene (66.07%) and limonene (77.93%), respectively. The antibacterial activities of PJE and CUE against drug-susceptible and -resistant skin pathogens were also examined. Anti-bacterial tests using the disk diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values indicated that PJE and CUE have excellent activities. The MIC of PJE against drug-susceptible and -resistant skin pathogens ranged from 0.13 to 5.0 μL/mL, whereas that of CUE ranged from 0.08 to 1.25 μL/mL. In addition, CUE reduced the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced secretion of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells, indicating that it has anti-inflammatory effects. These findings demonstrate that PJE and CUE have great potential for use in promoting human skin health.