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Antibiotics
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Antimicrobial Properties of Essential Oils: Activities, Mechanisms, Applications, and Therapeutic...
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Antimicrobial Properties of Essential Oils: Activities, Mechanisms, Applications, and Therapeutic Potential

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant-Derived Antibiotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 16440

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eduardo Valarezo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Química, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 1101608, Ecuador
Interests: essential oils; biological activity; bioproducts; bioprospecting; natural products
Dr. Miguel Ángel Meneses

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Química, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 1101608, Ecuador
Interests: essential oils; biological activity; food by-products; supercritical antisolvent extraction; food preservatives
Prof. Dr. Matteo Radice

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Facultad de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Estatal Amazónica (UEA), Vía Tena km 2½, Puyo, Pastaza, Ecuador
Interests: essential oils; bioactive phytochemicals; oils; phytochemistry; circular economy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Essential oils, isolated from various plant species, have been traditionally used for centuries for their medicinal properties, highlighting their antimicrobial capacity to combat bacteria, fungi and viruses. In the current context, marked by antibiotic resistance and the need for new active compounds, essential oils represent a promising opportunity for the development of new anti-infective agents, responding to the urgent need for alternatives to the challenges of antimicrobial resistance. Their effectiveness lies in the synergy of their active compounds, which enhances their antimicrobial action, and their importance lies in their natural origin and the diversity of chemical compositions that these secondary metabolites present. This Special Issue aims at exploring the antimicrobial properties of essential oils, analyzing their activities, mechanisms of action, practical applications in different related fields and their potential as therapeutic alternatives. It presents an overview of their efficacy, challenges and opportunities in the fight against infections. We invite to submit original research papers, short communications, reviews and perspectives on the antibiotic potential of essential oils.

Dr. Eduardo Valarezo
Dr. Miguel Ángel Meneses
Prof. Dr. Matteo Radice
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antibiotics
  • antibacterial
  • antifungal
  • antiviral
  • ethnopharmacology
  • multidrug resistance
  • natural products
  • resistant strains
  • volatile secondary metabolites
  • volatile compounds

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 3028 KB  
Article
Evaluation of the Quantitative and Structural Antimicrobial Activity of Thymol, Terpinen-4-ol, Citral, and E-2-Dodecenal, Antibiotic Molecules Derived from Essential Oils
by Paco Noriega, Kimberly Jaramillo, Ivana Villegas, Karla Vizuete, Ema Rivera and Alexis Debut
Antibiotics 2025, 14(12), 1202; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14121202 - 1 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1646
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This research was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of four molecules present in essential oils (thymol, terpinen-4-ol, citral, and E-2-dodecenal), complementing the study with the observation of structural damage caused by the contact of these compounds with microorganisms. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This research was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of four molecules present in essential oils (thymol, terpinen-4-ol, citral, and E-2-dodecenal), complementing the study with the observation of structural damage caused by the contact of these compounds with microorganisms. Methods: The micro dilution in plates method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration, using different concentrations of metabolites in contact with the microorganisms. Optical Microscopy was used to observe structural damage in yeasts, while Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used for bacteria. Results: In determining the minimum inhibitory concentration, very good activity was observed for all microorganisms at concentrations below 500 µg/mL or 0.05% w/w. In microscopic tests, we can observe three consequences of contact with the molecule to a greater or lesser extent. First, there is a clear decrease in the concentration of microorganisms. Second, we observe damage to the cell membrane. Finally, there are structural changes within the cytoplasm. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the four metabolites possess good antimicrobial activity, in some of the tests they were even very close to the control antibiotics’ activity. Structural observations show that the activity can be explained by several factors. Many essential oils contain some of the molecules used, so their presence in nature could be a marker of antimicrobial activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Properties of Essential Oils: Activities, Mechanisms, Applications, and Therapeutic Potential)
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Review

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56 pages, 1028 KB  
Review
Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents Against WHO Priority Bacterial Pathogens: A Strategic Review of In Vitro Clinical Efficacy, Innovations and Research Gaps
by Katia Iskandar, Nada Ahmed, Narayan Paudyal, Maria-Jose Ruiz Alvarez, Subramani Paranthaman Balasubramani, Danielle Saadeh, Sami Ullah Baig, Hiba Sami, Dalal Hammoudi Halat, Nebojša Pavlović, Christine Roques, Meher Rizvi, Pascale Salameh, Faten Hamed and Maarten Van Dongen
Antibiotics 2025, 14(12), 1250; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14121250 - 10 Dec 2025
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6298
Abstract
The rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a critical global health crisis, driven by the widespread emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) pathogens. This growing threat, coupled with the stagnation in the development of novel antibiotics, necessitates the [...] Read more.
The rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a critical global health crisis, driven by the widespread emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) pathogens. This growing threat, coupled with the stagnation in the development of novel antibiotics, necessitates the investigation of alternative antimicrobial strategies. Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) have emerged as promising candidates due to their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, multi-targeted mechanisms, and capacity to enhance the efficacy of existing antibiotics. Recent studies have underscored the potential of EOs in disrupting biofilms, inhibiting quorum sensing, modulating efflux pumps, and reversing resistance in a variety of bacterial pathogens, including those listed as priorities by the World Health Organization. Notably, many of these effects have been demonstrated against resistant strains isolated directly from clinical samples, thereby enhancing the translational significance of EOs. In addition to their antimicrobial properties, advances in analytical, omics-based, and microfluidic technologies have further elucidated the mechanisms of EOs and may accelerate their therapeutic development. Nevertheless, challenges such as variability in composition, lack of standardized testing protocols, and limited in vivo data continue to impede clinical application. Therefore, the aim of this scoping review is to critically examine the advances over the past decade in the antibacterial activity of plant EOs against clinical isolates, with a particular focus on their efficacy against resistant bacterial pathogens and their potential role in combating AMR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Properties of Essential Oils: Activities, Mechanisms, Applications, and Therapeutic Potential)
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Other

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33 pages, 1262 KB  
Systematic Review
Antimicrobial Activity of Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) Essential Oil in Meat and Meat Products: A Systematic Review
by Eduardo Valarezo, Guicela Ledesma-Monteros, Ximena Jaramillo-Fierro, Matteo Radice and Miguel Angel Meneses
Antibiotics 2025, 14(5), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14050494 - 11 May 2025
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7734
Abstract
Background: Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oil is widely recognized for its potent antimicrobial properties, making it a valuable natural preservative in food products, particularly in meat and meat derivatives, where it helps extend shelf life and enhance food safety. Methods: This [...] Read more.
Background: Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oil is widely recognized for its potent antimicrobial properties, making it a valuable natural preservative in food products, particularly in meat and meat derivatives, where it helps extend shelf life and enhance food safety. Methods: This systematic review aims to evaluate the application of clove essential oil in meat and meat products, following the PRISMA 2020 methodology, to analyze its antimicrobial efficacy and its impact on the preservation of these products. The information search was carried out in the PubMed, ScienceDirect, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases and included research articles in English published between 1999 and 2024, and 37 studies were confirmed as eligible. Results: Due to the heterogeneity of methodologies and concentrations evaluated, a narrative analysis was chosen, organizing the studies into three categories according to the application of the essential oil: direct addition, use in edible films and coatings, and encapsulation. The analysis included the main components of the essential oil, the activity analysis method, a concentration evaluation, storage conditions, the activities obtained, and a sensory evaluation. However, variability in methodologies and concentrations made direct comparison between studies difficult. Conclusions: Overall, this review confirms the effectiveness of clove essential oil in preserving meat and meat products but highlights the need to standardize its concentration and application conditions to optimize its use in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Properties of Essential Oils: Activities, Mechanisms, Applications, and Therapeutic Potential)
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