Antimicrobial Properties of a Traditionally and Specially Prepared Oil Complex: NigellaSativa Seed Oil, Rosemary Oil, and Olive Oil

Abstract

Herbal medicine also called botanical or phyto-medicine refers to using a plant's seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes. It is becoming more main stream as improvements in analysis and quality control along with advances in clinical research show the value of herbal medicine in the treating and preventing disease. This study was focused on a traditionally prepared and used a product consist of an oil complex (olive oil, Nigella sativa seed oil, rosemary oil); which were researched antimicrobial effect of the product alone, and each oil by disc diffusion methods. Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and yeasts were employed in the susceptibility tests. The antibiotics of imipenem and vancomycin were exploited as positive controls. While there wasn’t effect on Gram-negative bacteria, strong antimicrobial effects were observed on Gram-positive bacteria and yeasts. Nigella sativa seed oil was the most effective. There wasn’t antagonistic and/or synergetic effect for the oil complex product. Although essential oils may be assigned the same name, they may differ widely as antimicrobial agents due to the extraction method used, which may explain the distinctive antimicrobial results reported in different studies. This was the first study to investigate the antibacterial and antifungal effects of this herbal medicine.