The Effect of Some Natural Essential Oils Against Bovine Mastitis Caused by Prototheca zopfii Isolates In Vitro.

Mycopathologia. 2018 Jan 27. doi: 10.1007/s11046-018-0246-9. [Epub ahead of print] Grzesiak B1, Kołodziej B2, Głowacka A3, Krukowski H4. Author information 1 Department of Environmental Biology, Medical University of Lodz, Żeligowskiego 7/9, 90-572, Lodz, Poland. barbara.grzesiak@umed.lodz.pl. 2 Department of Industrial and Medicinal Plants, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 15, 20-950, Lublin, Poland. 3 Department of Environmental Biology, Medical University of Lodz, Żeligowskiego 7/9, 90-572, Lodz, Poland. 4 Department of Animal and Environmental Hygiene, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950, Lublin, Poland. Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of essential oils obtained from Thymus vulgaris L., Origanum vulgare L., Origanum majerana L., Mentha × piperita L. and Allium ursinum L. against Prototheca zopfii strains that cause inflammation of the udder (mastitis) in cows. The study was conducted on ten strains derived from milk samples. The microdilution method was used to determine the sensitivity of P. zopfii strains to the studied essential oils, and the disk diffusion method was used to determine the sensitivity to antifungal chemotherapeutics. The plates were incubated for 48 h at 37 °C under aerobic conditions. All strains of algae were sensitive to the essential oils marjoram, thyme and oregano and resistant to mint and garlic oils. MIC values ranged from 0.25 to 1 μl/ml. Marjoram oil demonstrated the greatest activity, and oregano oil the weakest. Among the antifungal agents tested, 90% of strains showed sensitivity to nystatin. One of the tested strains (71/IV) was resistant to all investigated antifungal agents. The tested essential oils are known to have anti-algae activity and can be used as natural agents for prophylaxis in animals, particularly in mastitis-affected cows. KEYWORDS: Cow’s milk; Essential oils; Inhibitory effect; Mastitis; Prototheca PMID: 29380186 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-018-0246-9