Abstract

IN-VITRO COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ESSENTIAL OILS AND ASSESSMENT OF ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY

Anamika P. K.*, Kirti Chahar, Kruthika R. K., Madah Yousuf and Mateen Ahmed P.

ABSTRACT

The Comparative study of essential oils and assessment of the antifungal properties using in-vitro screening by potato dextrose agar diffusion method was used to evaluate the antifungal effect of the following essential oils Castor Oil, Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, and Tea Tree Oil. Result obtained from the antifungal efficacy of essential oils against the fungus Alternaria has been demonstrated in this study. As a positive control, the typical antifungal medication Fluconazole [32-320 μ/ml] was used and in-vitro antifungal activity of chloroform extracts of the four essential oils against Alternaria was examined and the zone of inhibition was discovered to be a clear function of antifungal activity. As the concentration rises, the level of inhibition shows significant increases in the potato dextrose agar medium, the antifungal efficacy of oils was tested. Tea Tree oil showed significant increase in the antifungal activity than Fluconazole [standard medicine], yet Almond oil showed significantly equal activity as Fluconazole. Coconut Oil and Castor Oil showed significant decrease in the antifungal properties. In most antifungal activity tests, greater oil concentrations were found to be more effective than lower concentrations. It is proven that Tea tree oil and Almond oil has the potential remedy for fungal infections.

Keywords: Antifungal activity, Castor Oil, Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Alternaria.