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. 2017 May 4;2017:4517971. doi: 10.1155/2017/4517971

Table 10.

Essential oil studies demonstrating synergistic interactions in combination with conventional antimicrobials.

Antimicrobial Essential oil Microbial species studied IFICa Resultb Reference
Amoxicillin Origanum vulgare (oregano) E. coli 0.75 A [324]
Elettaria cardamomum (cardamom) S. aureus (ATCC 25923) 1.06–2.00 I [325]
MRSA (clinical isolate) 0.56–1.11 A-I
0.61–1.50
Amphotericin B Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) C. albicans (NRRL y-12983, ATCC 14053, NRRL y-869, NRRL y-22077, ATCC 10231) 0.13–1.75 S [249]
Origanum vulgare (oregano) 0.03–0.35
Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) 0.04–0.18
Thymus broussonetii (thyme) C. albicans (CCMM L4) 0.37 S [259]
Thymus maroccanus (thyme) 0.49
Thymus vulgaris (thyme) C. albicans (ATCC 90029) n.m. [326]
Ampicillin Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon) E. coli 0.75 A [327]
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) 2 I
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) 0.75 A
Mentha piperita (peppermint) E. coli 1 A [328]
Origanum majorana (marjoram) 0.63 [327]
Carbenicillin Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon) E. coli 2 I [327]
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender)
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) E. coli 0.56 A [327]
Mentha piperita (peppermint) 0.75
Origanum majorana (marjoram) E. coli 1.06 I [327]
Cefazolin Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon) E. coli 0.63 A [327]
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) E. coli 2 I [327]
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) E. coli 1.5
Mentha piperita (peppermint) E. coli 2 I [327]
Origanum majorana (marjoram) E. coli
Cefixime Thymus broussonetii (thyme) E. coli 0.5 S [329]
P. aeruginosa
S. aureus
Thymus maroccanus (thyme) E. coli 0.5 S [329]
P. aeruginosa 0.75 A
S. aureus 0.18 S
Ceftazidime Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon) E. coli (J53 pMG321) 2 I [327]
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) E. coli (J53 pMG321) 1 A [327]
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree)
Mentha piperita (peppermint) E. coli (J53 pMG321) 2 I [327]
Origanum majorana (marjoram)
Ceftiofur Origanum vulgare (oregano) E. coli 0.63 A [324]
Ceftriaxone
Cefuroxime Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon) E. coli 2 I [327]
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) 0.53 A
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) 1.5 I
Mentha piperita (peppermint) 0.56 A
Origanum majorana (marjoram) 0.63
Chlorhexidine Cinnamomum burmannii (cinnamon) S. epidermidis (clinical isolate) 0.3 S [211]
S. epidermidis (clinical isolate 64) 0.35
S. epidermidis (clinical isolate) 0.3
S. epidermidis strains (ATCC 35984) 0.15
S. epidermidis (ATCC 12228) 0.45
Chlorhexidine digluconate Eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus) S. epidermidis (RP62A) 2 I [213]
S. epidermidis (clinical isolate)
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) S. epidermidis (RP62A)
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) S. epidermidis (clinical isolate TK1)
Ciprofloxacin Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) S. aureus 1.58–7.70 I-An [304]
Mentha piperita (peppermint) 0.75–1.40 A-I
Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) S. aureus (ST2) 0.38 S [330]
Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) S. aureus 1.03–1.30 I [304]
Thymus broussonetii (thyme) E. coli 0.37 S [329]
P. aeruginosa 0.14
S. aureus 0.5
Thymus maroccanus (thyme) E. coli 0.12 S [329]
P. aeruginosa 0.15
S. aureus 0.26
Thymus vulgaris (thyme) S. aureus 0.80–2.59 A-I [304]
Elettaria cardamomum (cardamom) S. aureus (ATCC 25923) 0.62–1.12 A-I [325]
MRSA (clinical isolate) 1.01–2 I
1.01–1.50
Salvia officinalis (sage) E. coli (ATCC 25922) 1.03 I [176]
Doxycycline Origanum vulgare (oregano) E. coli 0.38 S [324]
Erythromycin Mentha piperita (peppermint) E. coli 1 A [328]
Florfenicol Origanum vulgare (oregano) E. coli 0.38 S [324]
Fluconazole Ocimum sanctum (holy basil) C. albicans (29 clinical isolates) 0.24–0.50 S [255]
C. albicans (3 clinical isolates) 0.63–0.93 A
C. albicans (ATCC 90028) 0.48 S [255]
C. albicans (ATCC 10261) 0.47
C. albicans (ATCC 44829) 0.48
Thymus broussonetii (thyme) C. albicans (CCMM L4) 0.3 S [259]
Thymus maroccanus (thyme) 0.27
Thymus vulgaris (thyme) T. rubrum (clinical isolate) 0.25 [271]
Gentamicin Cinnamomum burmannii (cinnamon) S. epidermidis (clinical isolate 46) 1.5 I [211]
S. epidermidis (clinical isolate 64) 0.23 S
S. epidermidis (clinical isolate 236) 0.15
S. epidermidis (ATCC 35984) 1.1 I
S. epidermidis (ATCC 12228) 1.2
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) MRSA (2 clinical isolates) n.m. I [144]
Mentha piperita (peppermint) E. coli 1.25 [328]
Thymus broussonetii (thyme) E. coli 0.37 S [329]
P. aeruginosa 0.28
S. aureus 0.5
Thymus maroccanus (thyme) E. coli 0.28 S [329]
P. aeruginosa 0.18
S. aureus 0.5
Kanamycin Origanum vulgare (oregano) E. coli 1.5 I [324]
Ketoconazole Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) T. erinacei (KCCM 60411) 0.56 A [264]
T. schoenleinii (KCCM 60477) 0.31 S [264]
T. soudanense (KCCM 60448) 0.18
Ocimum sanctum (holy basil) C. albicans (26 clinical isolates) 0.25–0.50 S [255]
C. albicans (6 clinical isolates) 0.52–0.71 A
C. albicans (ATCC 90028) 0.42 S [255]
C. albicans (ATCC 10261) 0.41
C. albicans (ATCC 44829) 0.5
Thymus magnus (thyme) T. rubrum (ATCC 6345) 0.37 S [260]
Thymus quinquecostatus (thyme) 0.35
Levofloxacin Origanum vulgare (oregano) E. coli 0.5 S [324]
Lincomycin 0.75 A
Lysostaphin Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) MRSA (2 clinical isolates) n.m. I [144]
Maquindox Origanum vulgare (oregano) E. coli 0.5 S [324]
Meropenem Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon) E. coli (clinical isolate) 0.75 A [327]
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) 1.5 I
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) 1 A
Mentha piperita (peppermint) 0.26 S
Origanum majorana (marjoram) 1 A
Mupirocin Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) MRSA (2 clinical isolates) n.m. I [144]
Norfloxacin Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) E. coli (ATCC 35218) 0.57 A [157]
S. aureus (ATCC 6538) 0.37 S [157]
S. aureus (ATCC 29213) 0.38
Nystatin Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) C. albicans (ATCC 14053) >0.5 A [61]
Origanum vulgare (oregano) C. albicans (ATCC 14053) 0.04 S [61]
0.04–0.35
Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) 0.01–0.06
Oxytetracycline Mentha piperita (peppermint) E. coli 0.5 S [328]
Piperacillin Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon) E. coli (J53 R1) 0.5 S [327]
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) 0.26
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) E. coli (J53 R1) 0.56 A [327]
Mentha piperita (peppermint) 0.31 S
Origanum majorana (marjoram) 0.75 A
Polymycin Origanum vulgare (oregano) E. coli 0.75 A [324]
Pristinamycin Thymus broussonetii (thyme) E. coli 0.37 S [329]
P. aeruginosa 0.75 A
S. aureus 0.5 S [329]
E. coli
P. aeruginosa 0.75 A [329]
S. aureus 0.62
Sarafloxacin Origanum vulgare (oregano) E. coli 0.38 S [324]
Tobramycin Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) E. coli (ATCC 25922) 0.37 S [97]
S. aureus (ATCC 29213) 0.62 A
Triclosan Cinnamomum burmannii (cinnamon) S. epidermidis (clinical isolate 46) 1.2 I [211]
S. epidermidis (clinical isolate 64) 1.5
S. epidermidis (clinical isolate 236) 1.2
S. epidermidis (ATCC 35984) 0.03 S [211]
S. epidermidis (ATCC 12228) 0.06
Vancomycin Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) MRSA (2 clinical isolates) >0.50 A [144]

an.m.: not mentioned.

bS: synergy; A: additive; I: indifference; An: antagonism.

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