Essential oil analysis and antibacterial activity of Satureja bachtiarica Bunge. in Ardebile province

The genus Satureja represents with 15 species in Iran, with 9 endomic species. In this study, the aerial parts of Satureja bachtiarica Bunge. with local name "Merzeh" in blooming were collected in Ardabil Province. Plant materials were dried in shade; essential oil was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by capillary gas chromatography, using flame ionization and mass spectrometric detection. The results showed the essential oil of S. bachtiarica contained (20.6%) thymol, (14.19%) linalool, (2.3%) γ-terpinene, (26.4%) carvacrol, (5.94 %) α-Terpinene, (3.56%) myrcene, as main components. Due to the antimicrobial effect of phenolic compounds, thymol and carvacrol, the antimicrobial effects of these oils were determined against five gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus loteus, Staphylococcus areous) and three gram negative bacteria (Kellebsiella pneumonia, Kellebsiella oxytoca and Pseudomonas aeroginosa). The result showed the essential oils exhibited antibacterial activity against the tested strains, but in variable degree. The data indicated that Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Kellebsiella oxytoca were the most sensitive strain tested to the oils of S. bachtiarica and Bacillus cereus is known to have a high level of intrinsic resistance to virtually all known antibacterial and antibiotics.