Evaluation of antifungal activitity of white Tulsi essential oil (Ocimum gratissimum L. lamiaceae)

Fungal skin infections (dermatophytosis) are common diseases in countries with hot and humid climates, and/or with poor-hygiene conditions. Although these infections rarely threatened the patients life, they affect their quality of life. The rich resources of medicinal herbs in Vietnam appear as a highly promising solution. White Tulsi essential oil has been proven useful with antimicrobial properties. This study focused on the antifungal effect of White Tulsi essential oil (Ocimum gratissium, fam: Lamiaceae) against yeast strains (Candida spp., Malassezia spp.) and dermatophyte strains (Trichophyton spp.). The results revealed the effective antifungal properties of the White Tulsi essential oil on all tested fungal strains with MICs in a range of 0.3–1.25 µL/mL. In conclusion, White Tulsi essential oil may be a potential antifungal agent for pharmaceutical preparations to treat dermatophytosis.