Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and <i>in silico</i> NADPH Oxidase Inhibition Studies of Essential Oils of <i>Lavandula dentata</i> against Foodborne Pathogens

Abstract

Food is always subjected to microbial infection and lipid peroxidation, which frequently leads to serious food intoxications. In the present study, essential oils (EOs) extracted from <i>Lavandula dentata</i> Moroccan species and its major component (linalool) were chemically characterized and their antioxidant potential and antibacterial properties against foodborne pathogenic bacteria were examined. EOs phytochemical profile was carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS). The antioxidant potential was evaluated, <i>in vitro</i>, by use of the <i>β</i>-carotene discoloration assay and <i>in silico</i> vs. NADPH oxidase enzymatic complex as an antioxidant marker. The antibacterial proprieties were assessed by use of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and disc diffusion methods, against Gram (-) bacteria (<i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, <i>Salmonella enterica</i>, and <i>Escherichia coli</i>) and Gram (+) bacteria (<i>Bacillus subtilis</i> and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>). Linalool (49.71%) was the major component among the eighteen components identified in <i>Lavandula dentate</i> EO, followed by camphor (14.36%) and borneol (8.21%). The studied EO and linalool compounds showed important antioxidant activity through the <i>β</i>-carotene discoloration test with IC₅₀ values of 35.72 ± 1.21 mg/mL and 30.32 ± 1.23 mg/mL, respectively. Among all the analyzed compounds of lavender EOs, thymol, carvacrol, and <i>α</i>-terpineol were the most active compounds against NADPH oxidase with a glide score of -6.483, -6.17, and -4.728 kcal/mol, respectively. 2D and 3D views showed the formation of hydrogen bonds between the most active compounds and the active site of NADPH oxidase. The antibacterial data showed a significant activity of <i>Lavandula dentata</i> essences against tested foodborne pathogenic bacteria, especially against <i>S. aureus</i> and <i>B. subtilis</i>. Linalool proved active toward the same bacteria and had closer activity to that of lavender essential oil. In light of the obtained findings, the essential oil of <i>Lavandula dentata</i> Moroccan species can be used in the packaging sector as a promising natural food conservative to limit lipid oxidation and treat foodborne infections.