Laboratorio Clínico

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    ACTIVIDAD ANTIMICROBIANA Y ANTIBIOFILM DEL ACEITE ESENCIAL DE CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS EN STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS.
    (2026-01-30) Acurio Diaz Jefferson Alejandro; Proaño Pérez, María Elizabeth; Universidad Técnica de Ambato / Facultad de Ciencias de Salud / Carrera de Laboratorio Clínico
    Staphylococcus aureus is a highly relevant human pathogen responsible for chronic and recurrent infections. Its methicillin-resistant variant, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is considered by the World Health Organization as a high-priority pathogen. In addition, both S. aureus and MRSA have the ability to form biofilms (1–3). Given this problem, the essential oil of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) was used due to its chemical composition. Microencapsulation was employed to prevent the essential oil from losing its physicochemical properties (4,5). The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), as well as their relationship, were determined using the MTT viability assay. In S. aureus ATCC 25923, the MIC was 3.12 mg/mL and the MBC was 6.25 mg/mL. In MRSA ATCC 43300, the MIC was 6.25 mg/mL and the MBC was 50 mg/mL (5,6). The antibiofilm activity of the pure and microencapsulated essential oil was assessed using crystal violet to quantify the biomass of the strains. The pure oil showed excellent antibiofilm activity with no variations in inhibition; however, with microencapsulated oil, S. aureus ATCC 25923 showed 16.27% inhibition at 0.39 mg/mL. In MRSA ATCC 43300, inhibition reached 45.25% at 0.39 mg/mL. RT-qPCR was performed to identify the expression of the icaA gene. At concentrations of 0.39 mg/mL, amplification was observed in S. aureus ATCC 25923 and MRSA ATCC 43300 at cycle thresholds of 22.35 and 24.89, respectively (7,8). In conclusion, the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus exhibits antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against S. aureus.