Antifungal activities of selected aromatic plants growing wild in Greece

Nahrung. 2002 Oct;46(5):317-20. doi: 10.1002/1521-3803(20020901)46:5<317::AID-FOOD317>3.0.CO;2-B.

Abstract

Essential oils of Origanum onites, Satureja thymbra, Salvia fruticosa (Greek sage), and Salvia pomifera subsp. calycina plants growing wild in Greece and their components carvacrol, camphor, and 1,8-cineole, were assayed for antifungal activity against 13 fungal species. Among the fungi tested were food poisoning, plant, animals and human pathogenic species. The oils presented various degrees of inhibition against all the fungi investigated. The highest and broadest activity was shown by the carvacrol content oils (O. onites and S. thymbra), while the oil of sage was the least effective. Carvacrol exhibited the highest and 1,8-cineole the lowest level of antifungal activity among the components tested.

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Camphor / pharmacology
  • Cyclohexanols / pharmacology
  • Cymenes
  • Eucalyptol
  • Fungi / drug effects*
  • Fungi / growth & development
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Greece
  • Monoterpenes / pharmacology
  • Oils, Volatile / analysis*
  • Oils, Volatile / pharmacology*
  • Origanum / chemistry
  • Plant Oils / analysis*
  • Plant Oils / pharmacology*
  • Salvia / chemistry
  • Satureja / chemistry
  • Terpenes / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Cyclohexanols
  • Cymenes
  • Monoterpenes
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Plant Oils
  • Terpenes
  • Camphor
  • carvacrol
  • Eucalyptol