Essential oils found to have efficient anti-microbials properties

Therapeutic-Essential-OilsTherapeutic essential oils may become the anti-microbial of the future, say Greek scientists.

The anti-microbial activity of eight essential oils from plants was tested by study authors Yiannis Samaras and Effimia Eriotou of the Technological Educational Institute of Ionian Islands in Greece and they found that thyme completely eliminated bacteria within 60 minutes.

It was also found that Cinnamon also efficiently fight off a number of strains of bacteria including Staphylococcus species such as meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Samaras says in a statement, "Not only are essential oils a cheap and effective treatment option for antibiotic-resistant strains, but decreased use of antibiotics will help minimize the risk of new strains of antibiotic resistant micro-organisms emerging."

It was further pointed out by Samaras and colleagues that essential oils have been recognized for hundreds of years for their therapeutic properties, but yet very little is still known about how they work.