Antibacterial activities of nepetalactones against public health-related pathogens

Authors: GHOSH, ANURADHA - Kansas State University; ZHU, ENYA - Brown University; WANG, HAICHUAN - University Of Nebraska; ZUREK, LUDEK - Kansas State University; Zhu, Junwei - Jerry

Submitted to: Natural Product Communications
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2020
Publication Date: 3/26/2021
Citation: Ghosh, A., Zhu, E.V., Wang, H., Zurek, L., Zhu, J.J. 2021. Antibacterial activities of nepetalactones against public health-related pathogens. Natural Product Communications. 11(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X211004875.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X211004875

Interpretive Summary: Catnip is known for its pseudo-narcotic effects on cats. The flowers and leaves of catnip have been reported to be antispasmodic, antitussive, astringent, carminative and diaphoretic. Antioxidant activity of catnip oils has been demonstrated. Recently, we have discovered strong repellency against biting flies and inhibition on fly larval growth from catnip oil. During the course of several studies, we observed that the catnip oil treated stable fly larval media with excessive growth of fungi, compared to the control, which might indicate its suppression of bacterial growth within a balanced bacteria-fungi system. The present study reports how catnip oil suppresses the growth of bacteria in the stable fly larval media, as well as their antibacterial activities found against several pathogens.

Technical Abstract: Antimicrobial activities of (Z,E)- and (E,Z)-nepetalactones, two major compositional compounds from the essential oil of catnip (Nepeta cataria), were demonstrated in growth inhibition of various bacteria isolated from the stable fly larval development media. In addition, their antibacterial properties were also shown the effectiveness against several clinic pathogens, with reported strong antibiotic resistance.