Essential Oils and their Components in Combating Fungal Pathogens of Human Skin-lipophilic Yeast Malassezia furfur

Abstract

The most common problem of modern medicine is the development of increasing antifungal drug resistance nowadays including fungal infections of the skin and its appendages caused by dermatomycetes, yeast-like fungi, and molds so, there will be a need for alternative antifungal treatment. Natural substances with high antifungal properties like essential oils and their components show potential in this regard. Citrus lemon and Citrus sinensis essential oils were screened against Malassezia furfur by disc diffusion method and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration was determined by Modified Microdilution method. Citrus lemon (lemon) and Citrus sinensis (orange) show excellent inhibitory effects on the lipophilic, yeast-like fungus Malassezia furfur which causes Pityriasis versicolor, a chronic superficial fungal disease of the skin. The diameter of the inhibition zone was found to be 70 mm and 60 mm respectively. Malassezia furfur was found to be resistant against Clotrimazole & Ketoconazole. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of lemon and orange oil against Malassezia furfur was found to be 0.6 µl/ml and 0.8 µl/ml. These findings concluded that the use of Citrus lemon (lemon) and Citrus sinensis (orange) oil showed remarkable and excellent antifungal activity, and can be used as a traditional herbal medicine for the control of Pityriasis versicolor infection of the skin after undergoing clinical trials.