The inhibition of Candida albicans by selected essential oils and their major components

Abstract

Many volatile oils are known to possess antifungal properties and are potentially applicable as antimycotic agents. By studying the efficacy of essential oils against different pathogenic mycetes, we have evaluated the in-vitro inhibiting activity of some essential oils and their main constituents against a strain of Candida albicans. Sixteen commercial essential oils and forty-two pure constituents (alcohols, aldehydes, ketons, phenols and hydrocarbons), were tested by using a semisolid agar antifungal susceptibility (SAAS) method. Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy analyses of the oils tested were performed. The essential oils of Origanum vulgare, Satureja montana, Mentha piperita, Cinnamomum verum, Cymbopogon flexuosus showed maximum inhibitory activity (MIC = 500 ppm) after 7 days. According to the results of the examination of pure constituents, beta-phellandrene proved to be the most interesting component among cyclic monoterpenic hydrocarbons as it showed a strong activity (MIC = 50 ppm). The most active of phenols was carvacrol (MIC 100 ppm). The open-chain alcohol 1-decanol was the most active of alcohols at 50 ppm. Finally, among aldehydes, a strong activity was shown by trans-cynnamaldehyde (MIC 50 ppm).

Susceptibilities of Candida albicans Mouth Isolates to Antifungal Agents, Essentials Oils and Mouth Rinses

“…Besides cinnamon, other essential oils exhibited high efficacy, as laurel and mint. Both plants have high concentrations of 1,8-cineole, in association with other substances, for instance, menthol in the case of peppermint oil, which has been indicated as an antimicrobial agent [39,40]. Ezzat [38], who investigated the antifungal ability of several essential oils by the DD method, found that Mentha piperita had activity against C. albicans, a similar result obtained in our work.…”

“…This work evaluated the anti-candidial activity of eight plant essential oils usually presents on mouthwashes and toothpastes, and with their antimicrobial properties recognized [15,[36][37][38][39][40]. Our results showed that the isolates susceptibilities to oils differed among them, except between laurel and mint (P [ 0.05).…”

“…In this study, cinnamon was the most efficient oil. Previous studies recognize that cinnamon oil is an efficient antifungal or anti-candidal agent [36,37,[40][41][42] and have interest as a source of natural products for potential use as alternative drugs to heal many infectious diseases [43][44][45]. Besides cinnamon, other essential oils exhibited high efficacy, as laurel and mint.…”

Essential oil of Lithraea molleoides (Vell.): chemical composition and antimicrobial activity

“…All the Gram-negative bacteria tested were resistant to the essential oil. Other studies of essential oil components reported by Tampieri et al, (17) showed that the monocyclic terpenes, limonene and α-pinene, were not active against C. albicans and cyclic monoterpenic alcohol, 4-terpineol, had low activity. On the other hand aromatic bicyclical β-pinene showed strong inhibitory activity at low concentrations.…”

“…Moreover, limonene, the major Table 1. component (89.89%) found in the essential oil of Lithraea molleoides (Vell. ), although bereft of antimicrobial activity (17) has anti-carcinogenic activity (2) and can be used in medical dissolution of gallstones (6,10). The results of the analysis of the chemical composition of the essential oil of Lithraea molleoides (Vell.)…”