[In vitro activity of Eucalyptus smithii and Juniperus communis essential oils against bacterial biofilms and efficacy perspectives of complementary inhalation therapy in chronic and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections].

Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have a high propensity to develop biofilms that are resistant to antimicrobial agents. Eucalyptus smithii and Juniperus communis essential oils are credited with a series of traditional therapeutical properties, including mucolytic effect. As S. aureus and P. aeruginosa biofilms are known to be important factors underlying their virulence and pathogenicity, the aim of this study was to investigate whether E. smithii and J. communis essential oils can interfere with biofilm formation as well as acting on mature biofilms. Tests of two S. aureus and P. aeruginosa clinical strains and two ATCC strains (S. aureus ATCC 25923 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853) showed that both E. smithii and J. communis essential oils interfere with the starting phases of biofilm production, as well as with mature biofilms. The results of this study reveal new relevant perspectives for a complementary inhalatory treatment of chronic and/or recurrent upper respiratory tract infections.