In vitro efficacy of essential oils against various Candida species

Abstract

Candida species are responsible for the most common fungal infections worldwide. We studied the in vitro antifungal activity of a large panel of essential oils (EOs) against various Candida species. The EOs activity against Candida spp. was tested using a gradient microdilution assay ranging from 4% to 0.008% (v/v). After a preliminary screening including 31 EOs, seven selected EOs were tested against 13 clinical isolates and four reference strains belonging to six Candida species. Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Cymbopogon giganteus EOs exhibited the best antifungal activity against all clinical and reference strains, with MIC ranges of 0.015%–0.25% (v/v). EOs from Litsea citrata, Backhousia citriodora and Ocimum sanctum presented MIC ranges of 0.03%–0.5% (v/v). The antifungal efficacy of EOs was independent of the susceptibility of Candida strains to usual antifungal agents. These EOs could have a promising antifungal action.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Essential oils
• Candida
• in vitro test
• antifungal activity

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Eric Dannaoui for providing us with reference strains.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.