RESUMO
The chemical composition of the essential oils of Calea clematidea Baker obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves and flowers was analysed by GC and GC/MS and the oils were assayed for their antifungal activities. The essential oil of the leaves showed a high content of a new natural epoxy terpenoid, named clemateol (ca. 70 %), with minor amounts of o-vanillin (6.5 %), spathulenol (4.2 %), alpha-terpinene (4.0 %), germacrene B (2.9 %), yomogi alcohol (1.8 %), ( E)-caryophylene (1.7 %), m-cymenene (1.6 %), and alpha-gurjunene (1.5 %), while the essential oil of the flowers was characterized by a higher content of thymol methyl ether (ca. 80 %), with minor amounts of clemateol (4.8 %) and o-cymene (4.7 %). The antimicrobial activity of the oils was also evaluated against dermatophytes for their possible use in pharmaceutical preparations for topical applications. The oil of the leaves (MIC > 3.57 mg/ml), clemateol (MIC > 1.52 mg/ml), and the alcohol 2 (MIC > 2.82 mg/ml) showed a moderate antifungal activity against Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton menthagrophytes var. i nterdigitale, Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis and Microsporum nanum.
