Carum copticum and Thymus vulgaris oils inhibit virulence in Trichophyton rubrum and Aspergillus spp

Emergence of drug-resistant strains has demanded for alternative means of combating fungal infections. Oils of Carum copticum and Thymus vulgaris have long been used in ethnomedicine for ailments of various fungal infections. Since their activity has not been reported in particular against drug-resistant fungi, this study was aimed to evaluate the effects of oils of C. copticum and T. vulgaris on the growth and virulence of drug-resistant strains of Aspergillus spp. and Trichophyton rubrum. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed thymol constituting 44.71% and 22.82% of T. vulgaris and C. copticum, respectively. Inhibition of mycelial growth by essential oils was recorded in the order of thymol > T. vulgaris > C. copticum against the tested strains. RBC lysis assay showed no tested oils to be toxic even up to concentration two folds higher than their respective MFCs. Thymol exhibited highest synergy in combination with fluconazole against Aspergillus fumigatus MTCC2550 (FICI value 0.187) and T. rubrum IOA9 (0.156) as determined by checkerboard method. Thymol and T. vulgaris essential oil were equally effective against both the macro and arthroconidia growth (MIC 72 µg/mL). A > 80% reduction in elastase activity was recorded for A. fumigatus MTCC2550 by C. copticum, T. vulgaris oils and thymol. The effectiveness of these oils against arthroconidia and synergistic interaction of thymol and T. vulgaris with fluconazole can be exploited to potentiate the antifungal effects of fluconazole against drug-resistant strains of T. rubrum and Aspergillus spp.

Use Carum copticum essential oil for controlling the Listeria monocytogenes growth in fish model system

This study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial effect of Carum copticum essential oil (Ajowan EO) against Listeria monocytogenes in fish model system. Ajowan EO chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectral analysis and the highest concentration of Carum copticum essential oil without any significant changes on sensory properties of kutum fish (Rutilus frisii kutum) was assigned. Then the inhibitory effect of Ajowan EO at different concentrations in presence of salt and smoke component was tested on L. monocytogenes growth in fish peptone broth (FPB), kutum broth and cold smoked kutum broth at 4 ºC for 12 days. Ajowan EO completely decreased the number of L. monocytogenes in FPB after 12 days of storage, however, antimicrobial effect of EO significantly reduced in kutum and cold smoked kutum broth. Addition of 4% NaCl and smoke component improved the anti-listerial activity of Ajowan EO in all fish model broths.

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Satureja hortensis and Trachyspermum copticum essential oil

The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Satureja hortensis and Trachyspermum copticum essential oils against different kinds of microorganisms in vitro. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by micro broth dilution assay and the chemical composition of essential oils was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Thymol, p-cymene, gamma-terpinene and carvacrol were the main components of S. hortensis oil while thymol, gamma-terpinene, and o-cymene were the major components of T. copticum oil. Two essential oils exhibited strong antimicrobial activity but the antimicrobial activity of T. copticum oil was higher than that of S. hortensis oil. Thymol as a main component of oils plays an important role in antimicrobial activity

Antifungal activity of essential oil and alcoholic extract of carum copticum against fluconazole-resistant and susceptible candida albicans isolated

Ajowan is an annual herbaceous essential oil of Carum copticom. The main components of the oil are Tymol, beta-pinene, gamma- terpinene and Sabinene. The fruit oil of Carum copticum has been reported to have several therapeutic effects including anti fungal, anti bacterial and anti viral, … Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungus and transforms into pathogenic form in favorable conditions, causing fungal diseases. In this study essential oil and alcoholic extract of Carum copticum were gained and Microdilution Broth method were used for detection of minimum inhibition concentration [MIC] and minimum fungicide concentration [MFC] of 11 clinical isolates of Candida albicans and Standard strain [PTCC50-27]. Results show that MIC for essential oil is 0.43 micro g/ml, 0.87 micro g/ml and for alcoholic extract is 3.51 micro g/ml, 7.03 micro g/ml, 1/75 micro g/ml. Thus, it seems that Carum copticum could inhibit Candida albicans growth by a similar mechanism which occurs by Fluconazole [FLZ]. In general, the results obtained in this study indicate that Carum copticum has potential values for growth inhibition of Candida albicans in vitro. In recent years, systemic fungal infections due to Candida species have been received major consideration about inducing mortality in nosocomial patients because of increasing in immunocompromised disorders such as AIDS and hematological disorders as well as long term use of broad spectrum antibiotics and corticosteroids. The present study was done with the aim of evaluating antifungal effects of essential oil and alcoholic extract from Carum copticum against Fluconazole [FLZ] susceptible and Fluconazole resistance Candida albicans strains isolated from different types of Candidiasis. Standard drug susceptibility tests with broth dilution technique were used to measure the in vitro antifungal activity of essential oil and alcoholic extract from Carum copticum. According to our results, it seems that Carum copticum could inhibit Candida albicans growth by a similar mechanism which occurs by FLZ and could be used as a potential antifungal agent especially with FLZ