%0 Journal Article
%T Laboratory study of anticandidal activity of thyme, pennyroyal and lemon essential oils by micro dilution method
%A Saeid Mahdavi Omran
%A Seddigheh Esmaeilzadeh
%A Zahra Rahmani
%J Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology
%D 2010
%I Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences
%X Introduction and objective: Patients with candidiasis could be treated with antifungal drugs. Due to side effects and drug resistance, many studies have been conducted to investigate essential oils¡¯ antifungal effects. The aim of the present study was to determine anticandidal activity of some essential oils. Materials and methods: In this study, the effect of thyme, pennyroyal and lemon essential oils on Candida isolated from vulvovaginal infection were investigated experimentally by using micro dilution method. Serial dilution of thyme (0.002-4%), pennyroyal (0.004-8%) and lemon (0.15-32%) essential oils accompanying to controls and also amphotericin B (0.008-16¦Ìg/ml) and fluconazole (1-2048¦Ìg/ml) were used. Results: Thyme¡¯s essential oils had the most anti-candidal activity followed by pennyroyal. Candida albicans was the most sensitive species (0.008-0.062%). Thyme and lemon essential oils had the most (0.008-0.271%) and least (1-32%) anticandidal activities, respectively. The candidal growth was inhibited by amphotericin B at 1¦Ìg/ml; whereas the anticandidal activity of fluconazole was 29.647-978.824¦Ìg/ml. the effect of thyme essential oil was similar to amphotericin B. Conclusion: Because of the strong anti-candidal effects of thyme which was proved through in vitro tests in our study, it is proposed to do further research in the treatment of candidiasis with thyme experimentally.
%K Anticandidal
%K Thyme
%K Pennyroyal
%K Lemon
%K Essential oils
%K Micro dilution
%U http://jjm.ajums.ac.ir/_jjm/documents/Issue%209-SMO-161-167.pdf