en ميکروب شناسي Microbiology Research Article Research Article <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><b>Background:</b> Due to the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and rising consumer preference for natural food preservatives, there is an increased interest in plant-based antimicrobial agents. While <i>Salix aegyptiaca</i> (<i>S. aegyptiaca</i>), also known as Musk Willow, is a promising source of bioactive compounds, its antibacterial properties have not been extensively studied. Therefore, this research investigates the chemical composition and antibacterial effectiveness of essential oils extracted from the leaves and male inflorescences of <i>S. aegyptiaca</i> against important foodborne pathogens like <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus</i>), <i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>), <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> (<i>L. monocytogenes</i>), and <i>Salmonella</i> <i>enteritidis</i> (<i>S. enteritidis</i>).<br> <b>Methods:</b> Essential oils were extracted from the leaves and male inflorescences of <i>S. aegyptiaca</i> through hydrodistillation. The chemical composition of these oils was then determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify their bioactive constituents. The antibacterial efficacy of the extracted oils was assessed using several methods, including the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), as well as diffusion assays (Agar disk and agar well diffusion).<br> <b>Results:</b> GC-MS analysis revealed that the leaf oil was predominantly composed of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, citronellol, and eugenol, whereas carvone was the main constituent of the male inflorescence oil. The leaf oil demonstrated superior antimicrobial activity, particularly against <i>S. aureus</i>, for which the MIC was determined to be 1250 &micro;g/mL. Both oils indicated limited efficacy against Gram-negative bacteria. Of the strains tested, <i>S. aureus</i> proved to be the most susceptible, while <i>E. coli</i> exhibited the highest resistance.<br> <b>Conclusion</b>: The essential oils extracted from <i>S. aegyptiaca</i>, especially from its leaves, have shown significant antibacterial effects against common foodborne pathogens. This suggests they could be used as natural food preservatives, offering a viable alternative to synthetic additives. Additional research is necessary to investigate their use in food products and to establish their toxicological safety.</span></span><br> &nbsp;</div> Salix aegyptiaca, Essential oil, Antibacterial activity, Foodborne pathogens, Natural preservative, Male inflorescence 35 40 http://mlj.goums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1887-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Mojtaba Raeisi m.raeisi2000@gmail.com 100319475328460030953 100319475328460030953 Yes Food, Drug and Natural Products Health Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran Fatemeh Hooshmand fatemeh.h212@yahoo.com 100319475328460030954 0009-0005-5845-3429 No School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran Marziyeh Gheraati gharaaty1387@yahoo.com 100319475328460030955 100319475328460030955 No Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Masood Aman Mohammadi masoud.am70@gmail.com 100319475328460030956 100319475328460030956 No Food and Beverages Safety Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran Negin Mehdinejad n.mahdinejad@gmail.com 100319475328460030957 0009-0006-4022-2777 No Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Sciences and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran