Hoblyk Y. I., Mandula R. M.

ANTIBIOFILM ACTIVITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS FROM DIFFERENT CHEMOTYPES OF ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM L. AGAINST CLINICAL ISOLATES OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

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Hoblyk Y. I., Mandula R. M.

Heading:

MICROBIOLOGY

Type of article:

Scientific article

Annotation:

The formation of bacterial biofilms is one of the key mechanisms underlying antibiotic resistance and the chronicity of infectious diseases. Due to the increasing prevalence of biofilm-forming strains, the search for natural compounds capable of inhibiting biofilm formation and destroying mature biofilms is of considerable interest. Essential oils of Achillea millefolium L. represent a promising source of such compounds, with their biological activity largely determined by their phytochemical composition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibiofilm activity of essential oils obtained from Achillea millefolium L. plants collected from different populations of the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine. Essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation from plants collected at five localities in the Transcarpathian region (Antalovetska Polyana, Kolochava, Uzhok, Uzhhorod, and Khust). The phytochemical composition of the oils was determined by gas chromatography. Antibiofilm activity was assessed against biofilm-forming clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. The effects of essential oils at concentrations of 0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.1% on biofilm formation and on the destruction of preformed biofilms were evaluated using the crystal violet assay followed by spectrophotometric determination of optical density. All tested essential oils exhibited antibiofilm activity against S. aureus; however, the level of activity significantly depended on the origin of the plant material. The highest efficacy was demonstrated by essential oils obtained from plants collected at Antalovetska Polyana, which inhibited biofilm formation by 54.74–77.35% and destroyed established biofilms by 51.26–76.50%. High activity was also observed for oils from the Uzhhorod population, whereas the lowest antibiofilm effect was recorded for samples collected in Khust. A significant concentrationdependent increase in antibiofilm activity was observed for all tested oils. The results indicate that essential oils of Achillea millefolium L. possess pronounced antibiofilm properties against Staphylococcus aureus, inhibiting both biofilm formation and mature biofilms. The most active samples were obtained from plants collected at Antalovetska Polyana and in the vicinity of Uzhhorod. The observed differences in activity suggest a strong relationship between antibiofilm efficacy and the phytochemical composition of the oils, which is influenced by environmental growing conditions. These findings support the potential application of Achillea millefolium essential oils as components of novel antimicrobial agents targeting biofilm-forming microorganisms.

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Bibliography:

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Publication of the article:

«Bulletin of problems biology and medicine», 2026 Issue 3, 182, 401-406 pages, index UDC 615.281:615.322:579.861.2.

DOI:

10.29254/2077-4214-2026-3-182-401-406