Journal of Environmental Biology

Screening of some essential oils against
Trichosporon species

Veena Uniyal¹*, Seema Saxena¹and R.P.Bhatt²

¹Department of Botany, SGRR(PG) College, Pathribagh, Dehradun- 248 001, India

²Department of Botany, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal- 246 174, India

*Corresponding Author email : veenauni@yahoo.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

05 May 2011

Revised received:

17 December 2011

Accepted:

17 March 2012

Abstract

White Piedra is a superficial mycoses characterized by nodules on the hair shaft, caused by the basidiomycetous yeast Trichosporon species. In this study 25 essential oils were extracted and screened against two Trichosporon species i.e. Trichosporon asahii and Trichosporon cutaneum. Both these fungi procured from MTCC Chandigarh were maintained on yeast malt agar plates and tubes at 25^oC. Two screening methods viz., agar well diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration were adopted for the study. The results showed that the maximum anti-yeast activity against T. asahii and T. cutaneum was demonstrated by oil of Mentha piperita showing full inhibition of both the fungi, Melaleuca alternifolia with an inhibition zone of 45 and 40 mm, Cymbopogon winterians with inhibition zone of? 45 and 45 mm and Cymbopogon flexuosus with 35 and 30 mm inhibition zones. The oil of Trachyspermum ammi exhibited 10 and 20 mm, Abelmoschus moschatus exhibited 30 and 20 mm, Salvia sclarea showed 20 and 18 mm and Jasminum officinale exhibited 25 and 15 mm inhibition zones showing moderate activity. The oil of Cyperus scariosus, Pogostemon patchouli and Rosa damascene showed no inhibition zone against both the fungi while Vetiveria zizanoides exhibited no inhibition in case of T. asahii and inhibition zone of 10 mm in case of T. cutaneum demonstrating comparatively low activity against both the fungi. These results support that the essential oils can be used to cure superficial mycoses and these oils may have significant role as pharmaceuticals and preservatives. ?

Key words

Trichosporon, White Piedra, Essential Oils, Antifungal activity, Medicinal plants

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