DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2013.v01i03.004

Pages: 76-79

Microbial infections associated with biofilms formation through quorum sensing have imposed a serious problem in their treatment using conventional antibiotics. This has prompted researchers to identify alternatives such as plant products as antimicrobial agents. Research on plant derived natural antimicrobials agents, has almost exclusively focused on their effects against planktonic micro-organisms, however, the biofilm forms are more resistant to antimicrobial agents and therefore more difficult to control, remain largely unexplored. In view of this, the present study evaluated the antibiofilm activity of five different plant essential oils i.e., Garlic (Allium sativum), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) on the growth of the Klebsiella pneumoniae NCIM 2719 strain on the abiotic surface like urinary catheter. Out of the five essential oil tested, the Eucalyptus oil showed the maximum inhibition in biofilm formation on both tube and on the surface of the catheter.