Chemical composition and antifungal activity of the essential oil of Origanum virens on Candida species

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2003

Authors

Salgueiro, LR (Author) Other; Cavaleiro, C (Author) Other; Pinto, E (Author) FFUP; Pina Vaz, C (Author) FMUP; Rodrigues, AG (Author) FMUP; Palmeira, A (Author) Other; Tavares, C (Author) Other; Costa de Oliveira, S (Author) FMUP; Goncalves, MJ (Author) Other; Martinez de Oliveira, J (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Planta Medica

Vol. 69

Pages: 871-874

ISSN: 0032-0943

Publisher: Thieme

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 45 Citations

Scopus - 48 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-FET

DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-43203

Abstract (EN): The composition and the antifungal activity of the essential oil of Origanum virens on Candida species were studied. The essential oil was obtained from the aerial parts of the plant by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The oil was characterized by its high content of carvacrol (68.1 %) and its biogenetic precursors, gamma-terpinene (9.9 %) and p-cymene (4.5 %). The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal lethal concentration (MLC) were used to evaluate the antifungal activity against Candida strains (7 clinical isolates and 3 ATCC type strains). The inhibition of germ tube formation and flow cytometry, using the fluorescent probe propidium iodide (PI), were used to evaluate their mechanisms of action. MIC and MLC values were similar for most tested strains, ranging from 0.16 to 0.32 muL/mL. Concentrations lower than MIC values strongly prevent germ tube formation. The fungicidal effect is primarily due to an extensive lesion of the membrane.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 4