Synergistic antibacterial activity Combination of Syzygium aromaticum L. and Myristica aragrans Houtt. Against Staphylococcus Aureus ATCC 25923 and Their Chemical Consituents

Abstract

Infection can be caused by bacteria, one of them is Staphylococcus aureus which is a gram-positive bacteria. The treatment of bacterial infection was done using antibiotics or essential oils. Both essential oil from Syzygium aromaticum L. and Myristica fragrans Houtt had antibacterial activities against gram-positive bacteria. The research study aims were to investigate the synergism antibacterial effect of the essential oil from Sys combination with Myr against S. aureus ATCC 25923. The synergism test was performed using microdilution checkerboard method by adding MTT as an indicator for the presence of bacterial growth. The effect of combination can be seen from the FIC Index and isobologram, while the essential oil components of each plant were analyzed by GC-MS. The results showed that additive effect caused by the ratio of Myr vs Syz was 2/5 and 8/5 (FIC index was 0.75), and on 2/5 showed the indifferent result (FIC index was 1.5). The best concentration ratio between Myr and Syz was 1.0: 2.5 (mg/mL). The GC-MS analysis results showed that the major essential oil components of Syz was caryophyllene and eugenol, and Myr was α-pinene, β-pinene, sabinene, p-cymene, terpinene-4-ol, safrol, and myristate. In conclusion, we can assume that the combination of the essential oil from Syz and Myr have an additive effect to inhibit S. aureus and potent as antimicrobial.