Antioxidant, antiradical power of Syzygium aromaticum essential oil, and its antidermatophytic activity against Epidermophyton floccosum and Trichophyton soudanense

Abstract

In order to provide an effective alternative for efficient management of dermatophytosis, we evaluate in vitro the antioxidant and antiradical potentials of the essential oil of the dry flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum and its antidermatophytic activity against Epidermophyton floccosum and Trichophyton soudanense, For this purpose, the essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation through a Clevenger apparatus and the antioxidant and antiradical potentials were evaluated by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the trapping of the ABTS•+ radical methods, respectively. The evaluation of the antidermatophytic activity was made by the agar incorporation method. The results showed that the essential oil reduced ferric iron (Fe3+) to ferrous iron (Fe2+) in a more significant manner than BHT (reference antioxidant). Moreover, the antiradical power of the essential oil was twice greater than that of BHT. Furthermore, the essential oil inhibited the mycelial growth of the two dermatophytes, with 500 ppm and 1000 ppm of minimal inhibitory concentrations against Epidermophyton floccosum and Trichophyton soudanense, respectively. This activity was greater than that of griseofulvin whose minimal inhibitory concentration was greater than 4000 ppm against both studied germs. These findings show that, withon the framework of safeguarding human lives and protecting the environment, the essential oil from the dry flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum appeared as reliable alternative for the treatment of dermatophytosis caused by Epidermophyton floccosum and Trichophyton soudanense. Our results lay scientific foundation toward the promotion and development of Cameroonian biodiversity in treatments of dermatophytosis.