Aim: Geraniol and linalool are major constituents of the essential oils of medicinal plants.
Materials & methods: Antifungal activity of geraniol and linalool were evaluated against five Candida species. The genotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus test, and the embryotoxic assays use zebrafish model.
Results: Geraniol and linalool inhibited Candida growth, but geraniol was more effective. The geraniol at concentration of 800 μg/ml and the linalool at concentration of 125 μg/ml significantly increased chromosome damage. Geraniol was more toxic to zebrafish embryo than linalool: LC50 values were 31.3 and 193.3 μg/ml, respectively.
Conclusion: Geraniol and linalool have anticandidal activity, but they also exert genotoxic and embryotoxic effects at the highest tested concentrations.
Keywords: antifungal; cytotoxicity; embryotoxicity; geraniol; linalool.