Chemical composition, antioxidant activity and antifungal effects of five Iranian essential oils against Candida strains isolated from urine samples

Systemic candidiasis has become an emerging fungal infection in recent years. Anti-Candida resistance to conventional antifungal agents has subsequently increased. This study reported the chemical composition, antioxidant and anti-Candida activity of Origanum majorana, Artemisia dracunculus, Cymbopogon citrate, Cinnamomum verum and Caryophyllus aromaticus essential oils. Different Candida species, from urine tracts of hospitalized patients, were included to be challenged with understudied essential oils. Chemical compositions were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis and antioxidant activity was measured using DDPH assay. MIC of these essential oils was evaluated using broth micro-dilution test. Caryophyllus aromaticus had the highest antioxidant activity while the lowest antioxidant activity was for Artemisia dracunculus. MICs of Cinnamomum verum, Caryophillium aromaticus, Artemisia dracunculus, Origanum vulgare and Cymbopogon citratus essential oils ranged from 125 to 175 μg/mL (mean value: 147.7 ± 25.5 μg/mL), 700 to 1000 μg/mL (mean value: 740.9 ± 105.4 μg/mL), 1000 to 2000 μg/mL (mean value: 1454.5 ± 509.6 μg/mL), 173 to 350 μg/mL (mean value: 208 ± 55.8 μg/mL) and 125 to 175 μg/mL (mean value: 156.8 ± 24.6 μg/mL) for different Candida species, respectively. In general, natural compounds are suitable to be used as anti-Candida and antioxidant agents. However in this stage, these compounds could be applied as supplementary agents along with conventional antifungal drugs.