title: Carum copticum and Thymus vulgaris oils inhibit virulence in Trichophyton rubrum and Aspergillus spp.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Microbiology Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh India Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. ; Institute of Microbial Technology Chandigarh India Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Mohd Sajjad Ahmad
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Microbiology Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh India Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India.
authors.forename: Iqbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbial Technology Chandigarh India Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Swaranjit Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cameotra
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D029974:Carum / Q000737:chemistry*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013943:Thymol / Q000032:analysis; D046930:Thymus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010938:Plant Oils; D013943:Thymol; D015725:Fluconazole; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase
keywords: anti-elastase activity; arthroconidia; synergy; thymol; virulence