Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(9) 311-321 311 Original Research Article Ocular infection Bacterial isolates and their sensitivity to essential oils of selected herbals P.Sivamani* Microlabs, Institute of Research and Technology, Arcot, Vellore, Tamilnadu, India-632 503 *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Introduction Infection of the eye leads to conjunctivitis, keratitis, endopthalmitis and other infections which are responsible for increased incidence of morbidity and blindness worldwide (Chirambo et al., 1986; Juarez- Verdayes et al., 2006). Suppurative keratitis can cause corneal opacity and perforation, which leads to severe visual loss and is the second most common cause for blindness in developing countries (Upadhyay et al., 1991; Ashaye and Aimola, 2008). The etiological cause for suppurative keratitis may vary at different geographical locations (Leck et al., 2002). Different types of fungi ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 9 (2014) pp. 311-321 http://www.ijcmas.com Keywords Ocular infection, Essential oils, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Ocular microbiology remains an applied science. Many pathogens and opportunistic pathogenic agents are increasingly encountered in ocular infections. Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus, and Proteus mirabilis isolated from ocular infections cases were tested for their sensitivity to essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon martinii, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Mentha piperita, Pelarogonium graveolens, and Vitexnegundo. In agar well diffusion method the selected essential oils were effective against both gram positive as well as gram negative organisms. For e.g, C. citratus was highly active against S. pneumoniae and least against S. aureus. C. martinii was highly active against S. typhi and least against S. aureus. C. zeylanicum was highly active against S. pneumoniae and least against P. mirabilis. R. officinalis was highly active against P. mirabilis and least against P. aeruginosa. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of essential oil of C. zeylanicum against all test organisms was best (0.25 mg/ml) and it was quite comparable with the reference drug Ciprofloxacin (0.25 mg/ml). The results for all other essential oils were moderate, when compared with the reference drug. The results for minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were similar to minimal inhibitory concentration results. As no organism was found to be resistant to the tested essential oil, the results indicated that those essential oils could be used (aromatherapy) in different forms for the prevention, control and treatment of opportunistic bacterial infections caused by those organisms isolated from ocular infections cases.