Chemical composition, antioxidant and antifungal potential of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) and Eucalyptus globulus essential oils against oralCandida species

• DOI: 10.5897/jmpr.9000353
• Publication Date: 2011-09-09
• Authors: Emira Noumi; Mejdi Snoussi; Hafedh Hajlaoui; Najla Trabelsi; Riadh Ksouri; Eulogio Valentı́n; Amina Bakhrouf
• Keywords: Melaleuca alternifolia; Eucalyptus globulus; Myrtaceae; Melaleuca; Candida glabrata

Eucalyptus globulus and Melaleuca alternifolia essential oils has been of interest to researchers because they are traditionally used for the treatment fungal infections and especially candidiasis. The chemical composition hydrodistilled essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), their antifungal activity was tested against 32 Candida strains including 15 species. The antioxidant activities (DPPH, reducing power, and superoxide anion radical-scavenging activity) were also investigated. Tea tree oil particularly rich on terpinen-4-ol (40.44%), gamma terpinene (19.54%) 1,8-cineole (95.61%) alpha-pinene (1.5%) the E. globulus oil. E. globulus oil was more efficient had best effect on oral Candida albicans and Candida glabratastrains comparing results obtained with Amphotericin B. Even at low concentrations, these drastically impair maximum yield growth rate both C. albicans and C. glabrata on YPD medium. Tree displayed highest DPPH scavenging ability lowest IC50 value (IC50, 12.5 µg/ml), greater power bleaching β-carotene (EC50, 24 µgml-1 and IC50, 42 µgml-1, respectively) as compared to E. globulusoil BHT. These findings support of E. globulus and M. oilsas an efficient oral hygiene tool (anti-Candida spp.) as a source compounds.

Key words: Candida, Melaleuca alternifolia, Eucalyptus globulus, gas spectrometry, antioxidant, activities.