Antimicrobial and Antiochratoxic Activities of Mentha spicata Essential Oil

The principle aim of this work is to evaluate the antimicrobial and antiochratoxic power of the essential oil of Mentha spicata (EOM). This oil was obtained by hydrodistillation with a yield of 0.3%. EOM was screened for its possible antibacterial activity in vitro against five strains of pathogenic bacteria, using the solid disc diffusion method and the microdilution method. The extract reacted positively to the bacterial strains tested. The results of the antifungal activity show an inhibition of mycelial growth; it is total on Aspergillus ochraceus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium viridicatum, and on Rhizopus stolonifer and Alternaria alternate at a concentration of 12.5 μl/ml. Tests carried out on yeasts mainly referenced as Candida albicans IP444 and Candida albicans 2679 showed minimal inhibition (MIC) of the order of 7.81 μl/ml and 0.97 μl/ml, respectively and theMICis of the order of 0.48 μl/ml for Candida albicans 10 231. In addition, the EOM antiochratoxigenic test for ochratoxin A production capacity following a series of high performance liquid chromatography separation and ultraviolet detection (HPLC–UV) analyses detected an inhibitory effect proportional to the EOM concentration. In general, the essential oil showed an effective antimicrobial action on the growth of the tested pathogens and an antiochratoxigenic.