Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels seeds have been shown to have diverse beneficial medical value due to their unique active components. This study analysed the composition of essential oils (EOs) of C. lansium seeds and investigated their potential antifungal effects against Candida strains. A total of forty-six components were identified in all samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main components were sabinene, β-phellandrene and 4-terpineol. Thirteen EOs of C. lansium seeds were classified into three clusters based on their components. Cluster analysis showed that the difference between the tropics and subtropics was the greatest. These EOs and the three main chemicals showed different antifungal activities against five Candida species (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei and C. parapsilosis). The antifungal activity against C. glabrata and C. krusei was higher than that against other Candida strains. EOs of C. lansium seeds displayed noteworthy antifungal activity against both sensitive and fluconazole-resistant strains, with inhibition zone diameters in the range of 9.4-23.4 mm. Comprehensive analysis illustrated the importance of sabinene, β-phellandrene and 4-terpineol to antifungal activity, and there may be some synergistic effects with other components. These results represent the first report about the correlation between the chemical composition of EOs of C. lansium seeds and antifungal activity. Taken together, the results obtained provide scientific evidence for the traditional use of C. lansium seeds waste.
© 2021. The Author(s).