We aimed to explore how concentrated fractions of Mexican oregano essential oil could impact bacteria linked to urinary tract infections. These infections are often caused by motile Gram-negative bacteria, which use flagella as a critical factor for moving toward the urinary tract, where they can cause issues.
Our analysis included testing the growth inhibition and motility reduction of key bacterial strains. We found that these bacteria showed resistance to several antibiotics, with one strain resistant to 8 out of 12 tested medications. However, oregano essential oil demonstrated promising results, significantly reducing both bacterial growth and their ability to move.
Notably, Fraction 4 of the oregano showed the most significant growth inhibition, with minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values ranging from just 0.002 to 23.7 mg/mL. The motility of the bacteria dropped impressively—between 92-81% for one strain, 90-83% for another, and a staggering 100-8.9% for a third strain. These results suggest that the high levels of Carvacrol and Thymol in oregano, especially due to their synergistic effects, could contribute to enhanced antibacterial properties.
Overall, this research indicates that oregano oil might be a valuable alternative or supplemental treatment for managing urinary tract infections, particularly against antibiotic-resistant strains.