Dermatophytosis and candidosis are common superficial infections that can be found all over the world. Recently, our group demonstrates that some essential oils (Thymus ssp., Origanum ssp. and Lippia ssp.) can be useful as antifungal agents (1–4).

Objectives:

Continuing our research on the antifungal activity of essential oils, we report now the activity of Juniperus turbinata leaves and berries’ essential oils in order to support its application as therapeutic agents in the treatment of superficial mycoses.

Methods:

Two samples of leaves oils from plants collected at Algarve (A) and at Alentejo (B) and one sample of berries oil from Alentejo (C) were assayed. Essential oils were isolated from fresh material, by water distillation (3 h) in a Clevenger type apparatus (5) and their compositions investigated by GC and GC-MS, as previously reported (6). Leaves oils are dominated by monoterpene hydrocarbons (77.1–89.4%), but quantitative important differences were found in the main compounds (a-pinene 27.8% vs. 48.2% and b-phellandrene 28.8% vs. 23.1%, respectively, for samples A and B). The main constituents of the berries oil were a-pinene (66.7%) and b-phellandrene (8.4%). Antifungal activity on Candida and dermatophytes strains was evaluated by determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), according to the NCCLS protocol, M 27-A and M 38-P, respectively.

Results:

Important inhibitions of the growing of dermatophytes were observed, with MIC values ranging 0.08–0.32, 0.63–1.25 and 0.32–1.25 mL/mL for J. turbinata oils (A, B and C, respectively). For Candida strains the oils have low activity with MIC values ranging 0.32–2.5, 1.25–10.0 and 5.0–20.0 mL/mL for samples A, B and C, respectively).

Conclusion:

The antifungal activity of J. turbinata essential oils on dermatophytes, may justify future clinical trials to validate their use as therapeutic alternatives for dermatophytosis treatment.

Acknowledgements:

FCT, POCTI and FEDER (POCTI/40167/ESP/2001) for financial support.

References

1.  Pina-Vaz, , et al2001). J Med Microbiol 50, 375–382.

2.  Pina-Vaz, , et al2001). Mycoses 44(Suppl. 1), 59.

3.  Pinto, , et al33th Internat. Symp. Essential Oils (abstract book), p. 164.

4.  Pinto, , et al2003). Clin Microbiol Infect 9(Suppl. 1), 966.

5.  Council of Europe. European Pharmacopoei, 3th ed (1997).

6.  Cavaleiro,  (2001). Doct. Thesis.