Antimicrobial and anti-dust mite efficacy of Cinnamomum camphora chvar. Borneol essential oil using pilot-plant neutral cellulase-assisted steam distillation.

Cinnamomum camphora chvar. Borneol essential oil (BEO) was efficiently extracted by using pilot-plant neutral cellulase-assisted steam distillation (NCSD). Borneol, β-cadinene and α-caryophyllene were identified as major components. Bacillus subtilis was the most sensitive bacteria to BEO with the lowest minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericial concentration (MBC) at 1·75 and 3·50 mg ml , respectively. Antimicrobial activity of the BEO was also reasonably high against Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, but not sensitive against two fungi, i.e. Aspergillus niger and Penicillium aurantiogriseum. Changes in permeability and integrity of cell membrane, damage of cell wall and further leakage out of metabolites and ions were determined as bactericidal mechanisms of BEO against the two gram-positive bacteria. The BEO showed a reasonably high repelling activity of dust mite, which achieved higher than 95% repelling dust mite activity after the treatment of BEO solution at 0·50 mg ml . When the concentration of BEO was higher than 0·50 mg ml , it was B-grade miticide with miticidal activity higher than 95%. Miticidal procedures were characterized as excitation, contraction, relaxation and lastly leading to the death of dust mite. It is speculated that the BEO would cause dehydration and death of dust mite as neuromuscular toxicity.