Essential oil of Hinoki cypress inhibits MRSA

Researchers at Wonkwang University and Chonbuk National University in Korea have found that Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) has antibacterial effects against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), one of the most common antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In their study, they evaluated the antibacterial activity of the essential oil extracted from Hinoki cypress leaves against MRSA.

The findings of the study were published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

• Hinoki cypress has been traditionally used in treating asthmatic disease.
• Hinoki cypress essential oil at concentrations greater than 0.1 milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL) inhibited MRSA growth and acid production.
• Moreover, Hinoki cypress essential oil inhibited MRSA biofilm formation.
• The researchers also observed mRNA expression of virulence factor genes sea, agrA, and sarA, and found that Hinoki cypress essential oil inhibited agrA expression at concentrations greater than 0.2 mg/mL, while sea expression and sarA expression were inhibited at a concentration of 0.3 mg/mL.
• In addition, the researchers identified 59 constituents in Hinoki cypress essential oil, such as sabinene, alpha-terpinyl acetate, bornyl acetate, limonene, elemol, myrcene, gamma-terpinene, and hibaene.

In conclusion, these findings suggest that Hinoki cypress essential oil may be used to protect against MRSA.

To read more studies on natural antibacterial agents like Hinoki cypress essential oil, visit Infections.news.

Journal Reference:

Kim ES, Kang SY, Kim YH, Lee YE, Choi NY, You YO, Kim KJ. CHAMAECYPARIS OBTUSA ESSENTIAL OIL INHIBITS METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS BIOFILM FORMATION AND EXPRESSION OF VIRULENCE FACTORS. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2015; 18(7): 810-817. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2014.3309