The transmission and scanning electron microscopes were employed to visualize the sequence of the biofilm development in the trickling wastewater filter. After the deposit of a small amount of debris upon a hard surface, the bacterial cells attach and develop the matrix on which the biofilm is formed. Protozoa invade the basic layer where they feed on the bacteria. The algae are seeded upon the bacterial matrix and grow so profusely that the bacteria must develop aerial colonies in the competition for food and oxygen. Destruction of the bacteria in the matrix and the weight and hydraulic pressure cause detachment of the biofilm and a new matrix must be developed.
<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Essential oils are of significant interest in today’s world of healthcare because these compounds have a variety of medicinal properties. In this study, we evaluated the <em>in vitro</em> antibiotic role of essential oils as a possible alternative treatment in combatting Methicillin-resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (MRSA).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In conjunction with carrier oils, three essential oils (cassia, cinnamon bark, and thyme), as well as methylglyoxal were tested on MRSA using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The minimum inhibitory concentration of each tested essential oil and methylglyoxal in carrier oil was determined to be 25% essential oil and 75% carrier oil mixture. This concentration worked much more effectively than the standard antibiotic, vancomycin, which is currently used to treat MRSA infections.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Antibacterial emollients made from naturally occurring products like essential oils can be cost-effective alternatives to antibiotics. The results of this research show that these emollients are more effective against MRSA than standard antibiotics in cell culture.</p>
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