Comparative analysis of antifungal and histopathological properties of essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus stapf and Khaya ivorensis chev

Author(s): Fadipe D. O.*, Onifade A. K.

Abstract

This study was done to determine or otherwise the possible use of the essential oils of these plants against clinically isolated fungi, especially the dermatophytes noted for their resistance to commonly used antifungal agents. The essential oils of Mahogany (Khaya ivorensis) seeds and the leaves of Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) were extracted using Soxhlet apparatus in Petroleum ether. The in vitro antifungal activity of the oils was compared with Fulcin (150µg) against four fungal species including Candida albicans, Epidermophyton flocossum, Microsporum canis and Trichophyton tonsurans. Generally, the growth inhibitory potential of the oils increased with a corresponding increase in concentration. The Minimum inhibitory concentration of these oils against the fungal biotest ranged between 0.12mg/ml and 0.21mg/ml for C. citratus oil and 0.18mg/ml - 0.33mg/ml for K. ivorensis oil. When different concentrations of the oils were administered orally to albino rats for 14days to test their toxicity and biosafety, there were no observable changes in the histological sections of internal organs of the groups fed with C. citratus, while the groups fed with K. ivorensis oil showed some pathological changes in their internal organs.

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