Antibacterial Effects of Extracts of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus pneumoniae

Pine heartwood, sapwood, and spruce extracts were tested against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The bacterial strains were cultured in a broth with and without the wood extracts. Also, the antibacterial effect of the extracts was studied by performing the antimicrobial sensitivity test method on agar plates. Both pine extracts had a clear antibacterial effect on MRSA, VRE, and S. pneumoniae. Only pine sapwood extract had an effect on E. coli and it was weaker than on other strains. Spruce showed a clear antibacterial effect on S. pneumoniae and a weaker effect on MRSA and VRE. The results suggest that these wood species have potential as surface materials in hospital and day care environments