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Antifungal activity of the essential oil of Angelica major against Candida, Cryptococcus, Aspergillus and dermatophyte species

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Abstract

The composition and antifungal activity of the essential oil (EO) of Angelica major and its main components α-pinene and cis-β-ocimene against clinically relevant yeasts and moulds were evaluated. EO from the plant’s aerial parts was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The oil showed high contents of α-pinene (21.8 %) and cis-β-ocimene (30.4 %). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were measured according to the broth macrodilution protocols by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). The EO, α-pinene and cis-β-ocimene displayed low MICs and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) against dermatophytes and Cryptococcus neoformans, with α-pinene being the most active. Regarding Candida species, the EO susceptibility profiles seem to be diverse and not correlated with fluconazole susceptibility patterns. Moreover, an inhibition of yeast–mycelium transition was demonstrated at sub-inhibitory concentrations of the EO, α-pinene and cis-β-ocimene in C. albicans. In addition, their haemolytic activity was low. The activity displayed by A. major EO and its main components associated with low cytotoxic activity confirms their potential as an antifungal agent against fungal species frequently implicated in human mycoses, particularly cryptococcosis and dermatophytosis. The association with commercial antifungal compounds could bring benefits, by the effect on germ tube formation, and be used in mucocutaneous candidiasis treatment.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) through grants PEst-OE/SAU/UI0177/2011 and CEQUIMED-PEst-OE/SAU/UI4040/2014.

The Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Thailand is acknowledged for collaboration with the Lotus—Erasmus Mundus Action Two Partnership (EMA2) of European and South-East Asian Higher Education Institutions (HEI).

Thanks are also due to Dra Ana Cristina Tavares (CEF/Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra) for her help in prospecting plant material.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Pharmacy/CEF and CNC, University of Coimbra, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal

    Carlos Cavaleiro, Lígia Salgueiro & Maria-José Gonçalves

  2. CEQUIMED-UP, Microbiology Service, Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal

    Karnjana Hrimpeng, Jéssica Pinto & Eugénia Pinto

  3. Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand

    Karnjana Hrimpeng

  4. CIIMAR/CIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123, Porto, Portugal

    Eugénia Pinto

Authors
  1. Carlos Cavaleiro
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  2. Lígia Salgueiro
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  3. Maria-José Gonçalves
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  4. Karnjana Hrimpeng
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  5. Jéssica Pinto
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  6. Eugénia Pinto
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Correspondence to Eugénia Pinto.

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Cavaleiro, C., Salgueiro, L., Gonçalves, MJ. et al. Antifungal activity of the essential oil of Angelica major against Candida, Cryptococcus, Aspergillus and dermatophyte species. J Nat Med 69, 241–248 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-014-0884-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-014-0884-2

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