Anti-dermatophyte efficacy and environmental safety of some essential oils commercial and in vitro extracted pure and combined against four keratinophilic pathogenic fungi

Abstract

Aim Establish new biocontrol practices with low persistence in the environment against dermatophyte causing mycosis. Methods Antimycotic activity of twenty-six plant-derived commercial essential oils (EOs) was evaluated against four dermatophyte keratinophilic fungi (Microsporum canis, Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes). Commercial EOs which showed the strongest mycelial growth inhibitions were selected and re-extracted in vitro from fresh plant samples. Minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) and antifungal index (AI) of pure and combined extracted oils and were evaluated. All samples were collected and examined during the year of 2014. Results The results revealed that commercial EOs of Prunus armeniaca, Prunus dulcis var. amara, Olea europaea and Mentha piperita were the most potent antidermatophyte. The mixture of the extracted four oils was the strongest fungicides followed by the alternative two-oil combined extractions then pure extracted oils. MIC was at 50, 25 and 12.5 μg/disc for pure oils, two-oil combinations and four-oil mixture, respectively. Achieved values of AI were found variable. Conclusion Using of natural products like plant-derived EOs instead of chemotherapy on pathogens can be regarded as an environmental safety mode of diseases control.