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Growth-inhibiting effects of Paeonia lactiflora root steam distillate constituents and structurally related compounds on human intestinal bacteria

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Abstract

The growth-inhibiting activities of Paeonia lactiflora (Paeoniaceae) root steam distillate constituents and structurally related compounds against nine harmful intestinal bacteria and eight lactic acid-producing bacteria were compared with those of two antibiotics, amoxicillin and tetracycline. Thymol, α-terpinolene, (−)-perilla alcohol and (1R)-(−)-myrtenol exhibited high to extremely high levels of growth inhibition of all the harmful bacteria, whereas thymol and α-terpinolene (except for Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393) inhibited the growth of all the beneficial bacteria (MIC, both 0.08–0.62 mg mL−1). Tetracycline and amoxicillin exhibited extremely high level of growth inhibition of all the test bacteria (MIC, <0.00002–0.001 mg mL−1). 1,8-Cineole, geraniol, (−)-borneol, (1S,2S,5S)-(−)-myrtanol, nerol, (S)-(−)-β-citronellol and (±)-lavandulol also exhibited inhibitory activity but with differing specificity and levels of activity. Structure–activity relationship indicates that structural characteristics, such as geometric isomerism, degrees of saturation, types of functional groups and types of carbon skeleton, appear to play a role in determining the growth-inhibiting activity of monoterpenoids. Global efforts to reduce the level of antibiotics justify further studies on naturally occurring P. lactiflora root-derived materials as potential preventive agents against various diseases caused by harmful intestinal bacteria such as clostridia.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by World Class University programme (R31-10056) through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to Y.-J. Ahn.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Programme in Agriculture Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151–921, Republic of Korea

    Luong Thi My Ngan

  2. Applied Biochemistry Major, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151–921, Republic of Korea

    Joon-Kwan Moon & Jeong-Han Kim

  3. Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Takayuki Shibamoto

  4. WCU Biomodulation Major, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151–921, Republic of Korea

    Young-Joon Ahn

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  1. Luong Thi My Ngan
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  2. Joon-Kwan Moon
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  5. Young-Joon Ahn
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Correspondence to Young-Joon Ahn.

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Ngan, L.T.M., Moon, JK., Kim, JH. et al. Growth-inhibiting effects of Paeonia lactiflora root steam distillate constituents and structurally related compounds on human intestinal bacteria. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 28, 1575–1583 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-011-0961-6

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