The inhibition of Candida albicans by selected essential oils and their major components (original) (raw)

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, _β_-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).

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria e Patologia Animale, Università di Bologna, Italy
    Maria Paola Tampieri, Roberta Galuppi, Maria Stella Carelle & Laura Falcioni
  2. Dipartimento di Patologia Animale Profilassi e Igiene Degli Alimenti, Università di Pisa, Italy
    Fabio Macchioni
  3. Dipartimento di Chimica Biorganica e Biofarmacia, Università di Pisa, Italy
    Pier Luigi Cioni & Ivano Morelli

Authors

  1. Maria Paola Tampieri
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Roberta Galuppi
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. Fabio Macchioni
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  4. Maria Stella Carelle
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  5. Laura Falcioni
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  6. Pier Luigi Cioni
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  7. Ivano Morelli
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence toMaria Paola Tampieri.

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tampieri, M.P., Galuppi, R., Macchioni, F. et al. The inhibition of Candida albicans by selected essential oils and their major components.Mycopathologia 159, 339–345 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-003-4790-5

Download citation

Keywords