The essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil) and its main component, terpinen-4-ol protect mice from experimental oral candidiasis.
The therapeutic efficacy of tea tree oil (TTO), Melaleuca alternifolia, and its main component, terpinen-4-ol, were evaluated in a murine oral candidiasis model. Prednisolone -pretreated mice were orally infected with a fluconazole-susceptible (TIMM 2640) or a resistant (TIMM 3163) strain of Candida albicans to induce oral candidiasis. TTO or terpinen-4-ol was administrated with a cotton swab 3 h and 24 h after candida infection. These treatments clearly showed a decrease in the symptom score of tongues and in the viable candida cell number in the oral cavity at 2 d after azole-susceptible C. albicans infection, although the degree of the efficacy was less than that of fluconazole. Even against oral candidiasis caused by azole-resistant C. albicans, TTO and terpinen-4-ol were similarly effective, while fluconazole appeared ineffective. These results suggest that TTO and terpinen-4-ol may have the potential of therapeutic ability for mucosal candidiasis which may also be applicable to C. albicans oral candidiasis induced by the azole-resistant strain.
Institute of Medical Mycology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan. kninomiya@daiwa-pharm.com
Kentaro
K
Ninomiya
Naho
N
Maruyama
Shigeharu
S
Inoue
Hiroko
H
Ishibashi
Toshio
T
Takizawa
Haruyuki
H
Oshima
Shigeru
S
Abe
D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001393:Azoles; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D005260:Female; D031650:Melaleuca; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D020947:Tea Tree Oil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001393:Azoles; D013729:Terpenes; C034019:terpinenol-4; D020947:Tea Tree Oil