An antimicrobial is a substance that that kills or slows the growth of microbes like bacteria (antibacterial activity), fungi (antifungal activity), viruses (antiviral activity), or parasites (antiparasitic activity).

Antibiotics are one class of antibacterial and antifungal antimicrobials that can potentially be used as medicinal drugs to treat infections because of their low toxicity for humans or animals.

The term originally described only those formulations derived from living organisms but is now applied also to synthetic antimicrobials, such as the sulfonamides.

Essential oils

Many essential oils have topical (external) antimicrobial activity, including:

• Tea tree oil
• Leleshwa oil
• Sandalwood oil
• Clove oil
• Lavender oil

See also

• Antibiotic
• Antiseptic
• Disinfectant