An update and comprehensive review of the plant extracts and essential oils as a potential treatment for bacterial mastitis in dairy cattle

Bovine mastitis is the most common disease caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and chemicals in dairy herds, causing economic loss and food safety concerns. The treatment and prevention of this disease are primarily through antimicrobial agents. Still, antimicrobial resistance could hamper the effectiveness of conventional drugs for this disease. Furthermore, antimicrobial residues in milk and the environment may endanger human health. This shows that using plants and essential oils (EOs) to prevent mastitis in cattle might be feasible. Several plants are known to possess antimicrobial properties, and plant extracts and EOs are generally considered safe for animals, humans, and the environment. This review article summarizes the ongoing issues encountered in the classical treatment of mastitis and the impact of the most common plant extracts and EOs on bovine mastitis as an alternative method of controlling these pathogens, as well as the drawbacks of using these plant derivatives. Finally, plant extracts and EOs have good antibacterial activity against bacteria isolated from bovine mastitis milk. However, the use of these plant extracts and EOs as medicines requires numerous clinical trials on dairy farms.