Staph Isn't Mint to Be

Overview

Staphylococcus epidermidis is commonly found on the skin and is typically harmless; however, if left untreated, it can lead to infections that may have serious health consequences. The goal of this experiment was to identify which variety of mint could be effectively incorporated into a natural lotion to help combat S. epidermidis. Specifically, the objective was to test the antibacterial properties of several mint varieties in order to find the most suitable one for inclusion in a 100% all-natural moisturizer. To assess the effectiveness of each mint variety, we employed the disk diffusion method using S. epidermidis cultured on agar media. In order to ensure that our bacterial strain was not contaminated, we performed streak isolation and incubated it for 24 hours. Each petri dish was divided into three quadrants: one containing a mint extract, the second containing a vancomycin disk as a positive control, and the third containing a blank disk as a negative control. The results revealed that apple mint exhibited the most significant inhibitory effect on bacterial growth, with an average inhibition zone of 0.667 mm. In conclusion, apple mint proved to be the most effective mint variety in preventing the growth of S. epidermidis, suggesting its potential as a key ingredient in an all-natural lotion. This study highlights the promising antibacterial properties of mint, with apple mint standing out as the most effective option for skincare products designed to combat S. epidermidis growth.

Competition history

• ISEF 2025 Microbiology · Entry MCRO028T

Resources

• ISEF abstract page ↗

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