Antibacterial Potential of Microwave-Assisted Extraction Prepared Hydrolates from Different Species.

Salvia is a widely used herb that also contains essential oils and other valuable compounds. In this work, the hydrolates of five sp. were evaluated for their potential antimicrobial and antioxidant activity against four bacterial strains. The hydrolates were obtained from fresh leaves by microwave-assisted extraction. Chemical composition analysis by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry revealed that their major constituents were isopulegol (38.2-57.1%), 1,8-cineole (4.7-19.6%), and thujone (5.6-14.1%). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the plant hydrolates was tested by the microdilution method at concentrations ranging from 1.0 to 512 μg/mL. The hydrolates prepared from and showed inhibitory activity on the tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, taxon showed inhibitory activity only partially. The hydrolate of had practically no antibacterial effect. was the only bacterium for which we found sensitivity to the hydrolate of , with a MIC50 value of 216.59 µL/mL. The antioxidant activity of the hydrolates was low, ranging from 6.4 to 23.3%. Therefore, salvia hydrolates could be used as antimicrobial agents in medicine, cosmetics, and food preservation.