Antibacterial activity and mechanism of Litsea cubeba essential oil against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Litsea cubeba essential oil (LC-EO), one of the natural essential oils, could gradually replace chemical synthesis food additive in food industry due to its good antimicrobial activity. However, the antibacterial mechanism of the LC-EO is uncertain. This study took methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as the research object to exposit its antibacterial mechanism. Research findings indicated the destructive effect of LC-EO on MRSA cell membrane, leading to intracellular biological macromolecules leakage. What’s more, the Hexose Monophophate Pathway (HMP) and its key enzyme (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) activity of MRSA were also inhibited after LC-EO treatment. Finally, the UV absorption spectroscopy result revealed that the key component of LC-EO (citral) could react with DNA in the form of chimera.