ASSESSMENT OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTI-DERMATOPHYTE ACTIVITY OF TREE MEDICINAL PLANT ESSENTIAL OILS

Background and Aim:Superficial fungal infections caused by dermatophytes occur in approximately 10 – 20% of the global population. Because of limited effectiveness of chemical antifungal agents, more investigations to identify new compounds with fungistatic or fungicides activities are needed. Thus, this study aimed determines chemical compositions and anti-dermatophyte activities of Laurus nobilis, Citrus medica and Pistacia atlantica Desf. Subsp. Kordica essential oils which used in folklore medicine to control microbial infections.Methods:The chemical composition of essential oils from studied plants were isolated by hydro-distilation method and investigated by GC and GC–MS analysis. Antifungal effects of essential oils against Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. rubrum, T. schoenleinii, Microsporum canis and M. gypseum were evaluated by micro broth dilution assay and mycelium inhibition technique.Results:High contents of 1,8-cineol (38.8%), terpinyl acetate (21.0%), in Laurusnobilis, linalool (19.6%), cis linalool oxide (11.8%) in Citrus medica and α-pinene (19.8%), trans verbenol (17.1%) in Pistacia atlantica Desf. Subsp. Kordica were detected by GC-MS. All tree tested oils showed strong antifungal activity with MIC and MFC values in the range of (0.005±0.0 - 0.5±0.0) and (0.005±0.0-1.3±0.57) µl/ml, respectively. However, moderate mycelium inhibitory effect was observed (3.17%-21.44%) in examined (150 ppm) concentration.Conclusion:According to the results, it may be concluded that these essential oils possess compounds with antifungal activity against dermatophytes especially in micro-broth dilution assay. Therefore, further investigations should be performed to fully evaluate on the pharmacological properties of these oils for skin infections treatments.

Keywords:

Essential oil , Chemical composition , Anti-dermatophyte