Screening of some essential oils against ringworm fungi

Abstract

During screening of 12 essential oils of higher plants against two ringworm fungi Trichophyton mentagrophytes and microsporum audounil by poisones food technique, the oils of plants viz. Cinnamomum tamala, Citrus maxima, Cymbopogon citratus, Eucalyptus citriodora, Eupatorium cannabinum, Nepeta hindostana Ocimum canum showed absolute toxicity against both the test fungi. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the oils of Cinnamomum tamala and Citrus maxima was 500 ppm against both the test fungi and these oils showed superiority in efficacy over some synthetic antifungal agents. The oils exhibited fungicidal or fungistatic nature of toxicity.