Antibotulinal Properties of Selected Aromatic and Aliphatic Aldehydes

Abstract

Aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes were tested for their effectiveness against Clostridium botulinum spores and cells. Six-tenths millimolar benzaldehyde, piperonal, phenylacetaldehyde, α-amylcinnamaldehyde, vanillin, or phenylglyoxal delayed germination in botulinal assay medium (BAM) broth after 6 h exposure at 32°C. Sporicidal activity was observed with 1.25 mM vanillin, 39 mM isobutyraldehyde, 156 mM pyruvaldehyde or valeraldehyde, 625 mM benzaldehyde, and 2,500 mM α-amylcinnamaldehyde. Twenty-five millimolars of cinnamaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, pyruvaldehyde, and vanillin were most active against vegetative cells at pH 7.0 in BAM broth, while 125 mM was required for benzaldehyde, acetaldehyde, piperonal, or phenylglyoxal. Three millimolars benzaldehyde, 5.0 mM phenylglyoxal, 150 mM cinnamaldehyde, 200 mM pyruvaldehyde and vanillin, and 300 mM piperonal inhibited 9 h dipicolinic acid release in BAM broth at 32°C. Spore resistance to a 20-min 80°C thermal treatment was reduced when challenged with prior exposure to 100 mM cinnamaldehyde, piperonal, pyruvaldehyde, vanillin, or phenylglyoxal. Inhibition by cinnamaldehyde, piperonal, and phenylglyoxal was retained in commercial canned chicken and in beef broths. Five millimolars of benzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, piperonal, pyruvaldehyde, or phenylglyoxal delayed neurotoxin production for 48 h at 32°C, while 25 mM was required for vanillin. These results indicate that certain aldehydes inhibit C. botulinum, and aromaticity improves efficacy.

Aromatic Plants as a Source of Bioactive Compounds

“…Nevertheless, it has been proposed that the chemical structure, such as the presence of the functional hydroxyl (-OH) group and the aromaticity are also responsible for the antibacterial activity [2,47,48].…”

Natural Approaches for Controlling Urinary Tract Infections

“…The report also indicated no genotoxic or mutagenic effects due to TC. The antibacterial activity of TC against Clostridium botulinum (Bowles and Miller, 1993), S. aureus (Bowles et al, 1995), E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium (Helander et al, 1998) has been previously reported. Although, cinnamon or cinnamon oil has been used for ages in the treatment of UTIs, no scientific study was undertaken to investigate its antimicrobial efficacy against uropathogens.…”

Effect of Osthole on the Control of Listeriosis

“…Carvacrol is bactericidal to Bacillus cereus at concentrations of 1.5 to 2 mM (9). Addition of 0.15 mM of carvacrol also disjoined membrane potential (10,11). When the effects of carvacrol on the growth of B. cereus were compared with the effects of the related molecule, it was found which concentration of the molecules possessing the hydroxyl group were needed to the growth suppression (12).…”