Antibacterial and Anti-Biofilm In Vitro Activities of Essential Oils Against Bovine Mastitis-Related Pathogens.
- 1SIROE-Italian Society for Research on Essential Oils (Società Italiana per la Ricerca sugli Oli Essenziali), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy.
- 2Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
- 3Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
Abstract
Background: The inflammation of the mammary gland, known as bovine mastitis, is a major challenge for the dairy cattle industry globally. The main organisms responsible for mastitis are bacteria, classified as either contagious, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and Streptococcus agalactiae, or environmental, primarily Streptococcus spp. (e.g., Streptococcus uberis) and coliform species. Even though the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of pathogens poses a serious threat, antibiotics are still the primary treatment for mastitis. It is therefore necessary to explore alternative therapies, such as essential oils (EOs). This in vitro research intended to evaluate the efficacy of EOs against pathogens associated with bovine mastitis, as an alternative or complementary treatment to conventional antibiotics. Methods: The bactericidal activity of eleven essential oils and two blends was tested on five strains related to bovine mastitis: S. agalactiae, S. dysgalactiae, S. uberis, S. aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. An assessment was carried out of both the reduction of biofilm formation and the inhibition of pre-formed biofilm against biofilm-formative strains of S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Results: Origanum vulgare and Cinnamomum verum resulted to be the EOs with the highest activity against the above-mentioned bacteria, inhibiting both bacterial growth and biofilm formation. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the relevance of investigating natural products and supports the hypothesis of appropriate use of EOs to reduce bacterial infections and provide an effective alternative to antibiotics in complementary therapy. Moreover, to avoid treatment failure, the combined use of available antibiotics and natural compounds should also be considered.
Related
- Combinatorial Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activities of Medicinal Plant Extracts Against Oral Bacterial Pathogens
- A single-spheroid bovine mammary co-culture model for longitudinal monitoring and preclinical safety assessment of antimicrobial alternatives against mastitis-causing pathogens
- The occurrence of minor mastitis pathogens in dairy cows in Slovakia.
- In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Chlorhexidine-Curcumin Nanoformulations for Teat Dipping Against Mastitis Pathogens.
- Antimicrobial potential of Pleurotus ostreatus against bovine mastitis pathogens: an in vitro screening study
BibTeX
@article{caneschi2026antibacterial,
title = {{Antibacterial and Anti-Biofilm In Vitro Activities of Essential Oils Against Bovine Mastitis-Related Pathogens.}},
author = {Alice Caneschi and Donatella Scarafile and Monica Modesto and Maurizio Scozzoli and Paola Mattarelli and Anna Zaghini},
journal = {Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/antibiotics15101038},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42938778},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Antibacterial and Anti-Biofilm In Vitro Activities of Essential Oils Against Bovine Mastitis-Related Pathogens.
AU - Alice Caneschi
AU - Donatella Scarafile
AU - Monica Modesto
AU - Maurizio Scozzoli
AU - Paola Mattarelli
AU - Anna Zaghini
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/antibiotics15101038
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42938778
AB - Background: The inflammation of the mammary gland, known as bovine mastitis, is a major challenge for the dairy cattle industry globally. The main organisms responsible for mastitis are bacteria, classified as either contagious, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and Streptococcus agalactiae, or environmental, primarily Streptococcus spp. (e.g., Streptococcus uberis) and coliform species. Even though the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of pathogens poses a serious threat, antibiotics are still the primary treatment for mastitis. It is therefore necessary to explore alternative therapies, such as essential oils (EOs). This in vitro research intended to evaluate the efficacy of EOs against pathogens associated with bovine mastitis, as an alternative or complementary treatment to conventional antibiotics. Methods: The bactericidal activity of eleven essential oils and two blends was tested on five strains related to bovine mastitis: S. agalactiae, S. dysgalactiae, S. uberis, S. aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. An assessment was carried out of both the reduction of biofilm formation and the inhibition of pre-formed biofilm against biofilm-formative strains of S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Results: Origanum vulgare and Cinnamomum verum resulted to be the EOs with the highest activity against the above-mentioned bacteria, inhibiting both bacterial growth and biofilm formation. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the relevance of investigating natural products and supports the hypothesis of appropriate use of EOs to reduce bacterial infections and provide an effective alternative to antibiotics in complementary therapy. Moreover, to avoid treatment failure, the combined use of available antibiotics and natural compounds should also be considered.
SN - 2079-6382
ER -