Antimicrobial activity of Stachys rupestris Montbret et Aucher ex Benth. and inactivation of the pathogens inoculated on lab-made skin by the essential oil.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of Stachys rupestris essential oil and inactivation of the pathogens on lab-made skin the oil in the fight against Escherichia coli , Acinetobacter baumannii , Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis . S. rupestris EO was extracted by hydrodistillation, and its contents were analyzed by GCMS. Logarithmic reduction of the pathogens inoculated on the artificial skin surface by S. rupestris EO was studied for the first time. The highest inhibition zone was 22.1 mm on C. tropicalis , while the lowest IZ was 0.1 mm on E. coli . The other zones were 20.01 mm for Acinetobacter baumannii , 20.02 mm for Enterococcus faecalis , 20.01 mm for Staphylococcus aureus , 22.03 for Candida albicans ( p < 0.05). As a result, S. rupestris essential oil was effective on most of the microorganisms and might be increased to use in the treatment of skin infections in the future.