Medicinal plants have been used for its medicinal attributes from several thousand years ago. Eucalyptus is one of these plants which the antimicrobial effects has long been used to treat a cold and influenza in most parts of the world. The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Eucalyptus globulus essential oil (EGEO) in 4 ways: disc diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, microdilution broth and minimum bactericidal concentration on a number of strains pathogens and the cause of food spoilage in vitro. The sensitivity profile of microorganisms against the EGEO (disc diffusion agar) is as follows form the most resistant to the most sensitive: Salmonella typhi > Escherichia coli > Pseudomonas aeruginosa > Bacillus subtilis > Streptococcus pyogenes > Staphylococcus aureus. The mean inhibition zone in well diffusion agar was equal to 18.62 mm against Gram-positive bacteria. The mean inhibition zone in well diffusion agar was equal to 11.93 mm against Gram-negative bacteria. The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of EGEO for Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus was 128, 64, 64, 32, 16 and 8 mg/ml respectively. The minimum bactericidal concentration for microorganisms was 512, 256, 128, 128, 32 and 16 mg/ml respectively. It is recommended that additional tests be performed to use EGEO for use as a natural preservative in the food and pharmaceutical industry.

Keywords: Eucalyptus globulus, Drug resistance, Food preservative, Antimicrobial effect.

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