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

Mycopathologia (2005) 159: 339345 Springer 2005The inhibition of Candida albicans by selected essential oils and their

major componentsMaria Paola Tampieri1, Roberta Galuppi1, Fabio Macchioni2, Maria Stella Carelle1, Laura

Falcioni1, Pier Luigi Cioni3 & Ivano Morelli31Dipartimento di Sanit`

a Pubblica Veterinaria e Patologia Animale, Universit`

a di Bologna; 2Dipartimento diPatologia Animale Profilassi e Igiene Degli Alimenti, Universit`a di Pisa; 3Dipartimento di Chimica Biorganica

e Biofarmacia, Universit`a di PisaReceived 2 June 2003; accepted in final form 28 November 2003AbstractMany 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, -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).Key words: Candida albicans, essential oils, in-vitro test, pure constituentsIntroductionThe essential oils have been used in empiric way for

a large variety of purpose for many centuries. In the

latest decades in particular, many in-vitro studies were

performed on their antimicrobial and antifungal activities. Many essential oils proved to possess antimycotic

properties and might be potentially used as antifungal

agents [1].For instance, studies conducted on the essential

oil of Santolina chamaecyparrus have shown the potential efficacy of this essence against different forms

of candidosis [2]. However, while these data provide

useful information, the reports on different essential

oils are often not directly comparable due to methodological differences such as choice of plant extracts,

microorganisms tested and antimicrobial test methods[3]. Within the framework of a...