Skip to main content
Log in

In Vitro Susceptibility of Brazilian Pythium insidiosum Isolates to Essential Oils of Some Lamiaceae Family Species

  • Published:
Mycopathologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial action of Origanum vulgare, Origanum majorana, Mentha piperita and Rosmarinus officinalis on Pythium insidiosum oomycete zoospores. The antimicrobial activity evaluation was performed by the broth microdilution method according to CSLI M38-A2 documentation adapted to phytopharmaceuticals. Twenty-two P. insidiosum isolates were evaluated, and the minimum inhibitory concentration was determined at 100 % growth inhibition. All P. insidiosum isolates evaluated showed a minimum inhibitory concentration ranging from 0.05 to 1.75 mg/mL when O. vulgare oil was used and from 0.11 to 3.5 mg/mL for O. majorana, M. piperita and R. officinalis oils. The results obtained indicate that the essential oils tested showed antimicrobial activity on P. insidiosum, with O. vulgare essential oil showing the best performance. These findings emphasize the potential use of plant essential oils as control agents in P. insidiosum infections; further research, however, is needed so as the in vivo activity of these oils can also be evaluated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Alexopoulos CJ, Mims CW, Blackwell M. Phylum Oomycota. In: Alexopoulos CJ, Mims CW, Blackwell M, editors. Introductory mycology. USA: Wiley; 1996. p. 683–737.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Gaastra W, Lipman LJA, De Cock Awam, Exel TK, Pegge RBG, Scheurwater J, Vilela R, Mendoza L. Pythium insidiosum: an overview. Vet Microbiol. 2010;146:1–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Mendoza L, Newton JC. Immunology and immunotherapy of the infections caused by Pythium insidiosum. Med Mycol. 2005;43:477–86.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Cavalheiro AS, Maboni G, Azevedo MI, Argenta JS, Pereira DIB, Spader TB, Alves SH, Santurio J. In vitro activity of terbinafine combined with caspofungin and azoles against Pythium insidiosum. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2009;53:2136–8.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Loreto ES, Mario ANM, Dernardi LB, Alves SH, Santurio JM. In vitro susceptibility of Pythium insidiosum to macrolides and tetracycline antibiotics. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2011;5:3588–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Pereira DIB, Santurio JM, Alves SH, Argenta JS, Potter L, Spanamberg A, Ferreiro L. Caspofungin in vitro and in vivo activity against Brazilian Pythium insidiosum strains isolated from animals. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2007;60:1168–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Mahl DL, De Jesus FPK, Loreto ES, Zanette RA, Ferreiro L, Pilotto MB, Alves SH, Santurio JM. In vitro susceptibility of Pythium insidiosum isolates to aminoglycoside antibiotics and tigecycline. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012;56:4021–3.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Argenta JS, Alves SH, Silveira F, Maboni G, Zanette RA, Cavalheiro AS, Pereira PL, Pereira DIB, Sallis ESV, Pötter L, Santurio JM, Ferreiro L. In vitro and in vivo susceptibility of two-drug and three-drug combinations of terbinafine, itraconazole, caspofungin, ibuprofen and fluvastatin against Pythium insidiosum. Vet Microbiol. 2012;157:137–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Lee SO, Choi GJC, Jangx KS, Lim HK, Cho KY, Kim JC. Antifungal activity of five plant essential oils as fumigant against postharvest and soilborne plant pathogenic fungi. Plant Pathol J. 2007;23:97–102.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Simões CMO, Spitzer V. Óleos Essenciais. In: Simões CMO, Spitzer V, editors. Farmacognosia: da Planta ao Medicamento. 4th ed. Florianópolis: Universidade/UFRGS/UFSC; 2002. p. 397–420.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Fonseca AOS. Ação antifúngica dos óleos essenciais de Origanum vulgare e Rosmarinus officinalis frente a isolados de Pythium insidiosum e Dermatófitos Dissertação de Mestrado em Ciências. Pelotas: Universidade Federal de Pelotas; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Azevedo MI, Botton AS, Pereira DIB, Robe LJ, Jesus FPK, Mahl CD, Costa MM, Alves SH, Santurio JM. Phylogenetic relationships of Brazilian isolates of Pythium insidiosum based on ITS rDNA and cytochrome oxidase II gene sequences. Vet Microbiol. 2012;159:141–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Azevedo MI, Pereira DIB, Botton AS, Costa MM, Mahl CD, Alves SH, Santurio JM. Pythium insidiosum: morphological and molecular identification of Brazilian isolates. Pesqui Vet Bras. 2012;32:619–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Reference method for broth dilution antifungal susceptibility testing of filamentous fungi: approved standard. 2nd ed. Wayne: M38-A2 CLSI; 2008. p. 144.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Cleff MB, Meinerz AR, Faria RO, Xavier MO, Santin R, Nascente PS, Rodrigues MR, Meireles MCA. Atividade inibitória do óleo essencial de orégano em fungos de importância médica e veterinária. Arq Bras Med Vet Zootec. 2010;62:1291–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Soylu EM, Soylu S, Kurt S. Antimicrobial activities of the essential oils of various plants against tomato late blight disease agent Phytophthora infestans. Mycophatologia. 2006;161:119–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hussain AI, Anwar F, Rasheed S, Nigam PS, Janneh O, Sarker SD. Composition, antioxidant and chemotherapeutic properties of the essential oils from two Origanum species growing in Pakistan. Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2011;21:943–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Iscan G, Kirimer N, Kurkcuoglu M, Baser KH, Demirci F. Antimicrobial screening of Mentha piperita essential oils. J Agric Food Chem. 2002;50:3943–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Tyagi AK, Malik A. Antimicrobial potential and chemical composition of Mentha piperita oil in liquid and vapour against food spoiling microorganisms. Food Control. 2011;22:1707–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Gachkar L, Yadegari D, Rezaei MB, Taghizadeh M, Astaneh SA, Rasooli I. Chemical and biological characteristics of Cuminum cyminum and Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils. Food Chem. 2007;102:898–904.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Wogiati E, Gougoulias A, Papachatzis A, Vagelas I, Chouliaras N. Chemical composition and antimicrobial effects of grek Origanum species essential oil. Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip. 2009;23:1322–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Klimach A, Wieczorek W. Influence of etheral oils on incidence limitation of some fungus and bacterial disease of plants. Pestycydy. 1996;1:45–54.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Nascimento PFC, Nascimento AC, Rodrigues CS, Antoniolli AR, Santos PO, Barbosa AM Jr, Trindade RC. Atividade antimicrobiana dos óleos essenciais: uma abordagem multifatorial dos métodos. Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2007;17:108–13.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Rao A, Zang V, Muend S, Rao R. Mechanism of antifungal activity of terpenid phenols resembles calcium stress and inhibition of the TOR pathway. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2010;54:5062–9.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Mimica-Dukic N, Bozin B, Sokovic M, Mihajlovic B, Matavulj M. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of three Mentha species essential oils. Planta Med. 2003;69:413–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Pereira MC, Vilela RG, Costa Lima, Silva RF, Fernandes AF, Fonseca EWN, Piccoli RH. Inibição do desenvolvimento fúngico através da utilização de óleos essenciais de condimentos. Ciência e Agrotecnologia. 2006;30:731–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Chawla S, Thakur M. Overview of mint (Mentha L.) as a promising health-promoting herb. Int J Pharm Res Dev. 2013;5:73–80.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hammer KA, Carson CF, Riley TV. Antimicrobial activity of essential oils and other plant extracts. J Appl Microbiol. 1999;86:985–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Brazilian Institutes: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS) for scientific and financial support [Processo: 1933-2551/13-O-SIAFEM].

Conflict of interest

None of the authors of this manuscript has a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. I. B. Pereira.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Fonseca, A.O.S., Pereira, D.I.B., Jacob, R.G. et al. In Vitro Susceptibility of Brazilian Pythium insidiosum Isolates to Essential Oils of Some Lamiaceae Family Species. Mycopathologia 179, 253–258 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-014-9841-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-014-9841-6

Keywords

Navigation