{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,8]],"date-time":"2026-10-08T15:51:27Z","timestamp":1791474687093,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,26]],"date-time":"2020-09-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1601078400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study aimed to determine the effect of selected essential oil compounds (EOCs) on the antibacterial activity of \u03b2-lactam antibiotics (\u03b2LAs) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. The following parameters were studied: antibiotic susceptibility testing, detection of mecA gene and evaluation of genotypic relativity of isolates using molecular techniques, analysis of chemical composition applying Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and determination of antibacterial activity of EOCs alone and in combination with \u03b2LAs against MRSA strains using microdilution and checkerboard methods. It was found that all isolates expressed MRSA and resistance phenotypes for macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramins B. All isolates harbored the mecA gene and belonged to three distinct genotypes. Eight of the 10 EOCs showed efficient antimicrobial activity against the MRSA reference strain. The analysis of interaction between EOCs and \u03b2LAs against the MRSA reference strain revealed a synergistic and additive effect of the following combinations: methicillin (Met)-linalyl acetate (LinAc), penicillin G (Pen)-1,8-cineole (Cin), and Pen-LinAc. Analysis of EOC-\u03b2LA interactions showed a synergistic and additive effect in the following combinations: Met-LinAc (against low- and high-level \u03b2LAs resistance strains), Pen-Cin, and Pen-LinAc (against low-level \u03b2LAs resistance strains). It was also confirmed that changes in phosphodiester, -OH, -CH2 and -CH3 groups may change the interactions with \u03b2LAs. Moreover, the presence of two CH3O- moieties in the Met molecule could also play a key role in the synergistic and additive mechanism of LinAc action with Met against MRSA strains. Direct therapy using a Met-LinAc combination may become an alternative treatment method for staphylococcal infections caused by MRSA. However, this unconventional therapy must be preceded by numerous cytotoxicity tests.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms21197106","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,27]],"date-time":"2020-09-27T22:24:42Z","timestamp":1601245482000},"page":"7106","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":37,"title":["Antibacterial Activity of Selected Essential Oil Compounds Alone and in Combination with \u03b2-Lactam Antibiotics Against MRSA Strains"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0016-0541","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pawe\u0142","family":"Kwiatkowski","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic Immunology, Chair of Microbiology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powsta\u0144c\u00f3w Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9499-8366","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"\u0141ukasz","family":"\u0141opusiewicz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Bioimmobilisation and Innovative Packaging Materials, Faculty of Food Sciences and Fisheries, West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin, Janickiego 35, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Agata","family":"Pruss","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chair of Microbiology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powsta\u0144c\u00f3w Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7493-4656","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mateusz","family":"Kostek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Bioimmobilisation and Innovative Packaging Materials, Faculty of Food Sciences and Fisheries, West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin, Janickiego 35, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9823-4176","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Monika","family":"Sienkiewicz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Allergology and Respiratory Rehabilitation, Medical University of \u0141\u00f3d\u017a, \u017beligowskiego 7\/9, 90-752 \u0141\u00f3d\u017a, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3327-8984","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rados\u0142aw","family":"Bonikowski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of General Food Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, \u0141\u00f3d\u017a University of Technology, Stefanowskiego 4\/10, 90-924 \u0141\u00f3d\u017a, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4887-4113","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Iwona","family":"Wojciechowska-Koszko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic Immunology, Chair of Microbiology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powsta\u0144c\u00f3w Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3138-1013","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Barbara","family":"Do\u0142\u0119gowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chair of Microbiology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powsta\u0144c\u00f3w Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"226","DOI":"10.1016\/j.diagmicrobio.2008.06.003","article-title":"In vitro activity of ceftobiprole, linezolid, tigecycline, and 23 other antimicrobial agents against Staphylococcus aureus isolates in China","volume":"62","author":"Wang","year":"2008","journal-title":"Diagn. 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