title: The anti-dermatophyte activity of Commiphora molmol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Commiphora molmol Engl (Burseraceae) or myrrh has been traditionally used for the treatment of skin fungal infections.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluates the antifungal activity of myrrh ethanol extract and essential oil against skin dermatophytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antifungal evaluations were performed by the food poisoning technique (250 ppm) and micro-broth dilution assay (800-6.25 µg/mL) against Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, and T. verrucosum. The chemical composition of myrrh oil and ethanol extract was analyzed by GC and GC-MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Furanoeudesma 1,3-diene and menthofuran were the main components of myrrh oil, while 2-tert-butyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, benzenemethanol,3-methoxy-α-phenyl, and curzerene were the main components of myrrh ethanol extract. The inhibitory effect of myrrh oil and ethanol extract against dermatophytes were 43.1-61.6% and 12.5-27.5%, respectively. The MIC and MFC values of myrrh oil were 25-100 and 25-200 µg/mL while these amounts for ethanol extract were 25-400 and 25-400 µg/mL, respectively. Therefore, myrrh oil had higher antifungal activity than that of the ethanol extract. Both extracts showed good anti-elastase activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our investigation confirmed the traditional uses of C. molmol as a poultice for the treatment of cutaneous fungal infections.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Microbiology and.
authors.forename: Mohaddese
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahboubi
authors.affiliation: b Department of Traditional Medicine , Medicinal Plants Research Center of Barij , Kashan , Iran.
authors.forename: Leila Mohammad Taghizadeh
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kashani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029744:Commiphora; D003881:Dermatomycoses; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Dermatophytes; Myrrh; essential oil; ethanol extract