Synergistic effect on the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of essential oils of Artemisia campestris L. and Citrus aurantium

Abstract

The study evaluated the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the combination of Artemisia campestris L. ssp campestris and Citrus aurantium essential oils. The antioxidant activity was evaluated based on the DPPH free radical scavenging assay and the FRAP assay. The binary combinations were set up with improved antioxidant activity. The antibacterial effect was determined against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), and the yeast Candida albicans using the disk diffusion method. The results of the inhibition zone diameter showed an antagonistic effect for the binary combinations against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, while no inhibition zone diameter was reported for Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. These results suggest the importance of studying antibacterial activities and finding proportions with synergistic or antagonistic effects for food preservation systems.