title: Antifungal activity of essential oils of Croton species from the Brazilian Caatinga biome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find new antifungal agents among essential oils from Brazilian Croton species.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plant leaves were steam distilled and the obtained essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. The main constituents were estragole and anethole for Croton zehntneri, methyl-eugenol and bicyclogermacrene for Croton nepetaefolius and spathulenol and bicyclogermacrene for Croton argyrophylloides. The antifungal activity of essential oils was evaluated against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Microsporum canis by the agar-well diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by the broth microdilution method. Essential oils of Croton species demonstrated better activity against M. canis. Among the three plants C. argyrophylloides showed the best results, with MIC ranging from 9 to 19 microg ml(-1). The acute administration of the essential oil up to 3 g kg(-1) by the oral route to mice was devoid of overt toxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The studied essential oils are active in vitro against the dermatophyte M. canis and present relative lack of acute toxicity in vivo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of its antifungal activity and low toxicity, the essential oils of studied Croton species are promising sources for new phytotherapeutic agents to treat dermatophytosis.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary, Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: R O S
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Fontenelle
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.forename: E H S
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: R S N
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Brilhante
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: N R F
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kerntopf
authors.forename: J J C
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sidrim
authors.forename: M F G
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D001938:Brazil; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects; D029802:Croton / Q000502:physiology*; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008864:Microsporum / Q000187:drug effects; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile