Introduction:

The essential oil of lemongrass has antibacterial and antifungal properties that deserve to be studied for using as an alternative to drugs.

Objective:

To determine the inhibitory effect of the essential oil of lemon verbena from the east (Pastaza province) and the coast (Los Rios province) of Ecuador at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% at 24, 48 and 72 hours on Porphyromona gingivalis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.

Methods:

Experimental study, in vitro. To measure the inhibitory effect, P. gingivalis, E. faecalis, S. aureus and C. albicans strains were incubated in 20 Petri dishes for each microorganism (10 for coastal oil and 10 for eastern). In each box were placed the disks with the concentration of the essential oil of lemon verbena, the positive control (chlorhexidine 0.12 % for bacteria and nystatin for C. albicans) and the negative control (physiological serum). Inhibition halos were measured after 24, 48 and 72 hours.

Results:

Eastern lemongrass essential oil at 100 % at 24 hours obtained the highest inhibition halos which were 8.90 mm for C. albicans; 19.10 mm for S. aureus; 11.90 mm for E. faecalis and 8.00 mm for P. gingivalis. There was medium sensitivity for S. aureus, borderline for E. faecalis and null for C. albicans and P. gingivalis.

Conclusions:

Herbal lemongrass oil from coastal and eastern Ecuador inhibited S. aureus.

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