Potencial antifúngico do óleo essencial de Baccharis trimera Less (D.C.)

Abstract

Dermatophytoses are fungal infections that affect humans and animals. These are mainly caused by filamentous fungi dermatophytes, whose presence causes changes in keratinized tissues. The treatment of this illness is long, and recurrences are frequently detected. In this context, the purpose of the present work was to identify the components of the essential oil of Baccharis trimera Less (DC) and to investigate their in vitro antifungal activity against six strains: Trichophyton rubrum CCT 5507 URM 1666, Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 9533, Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 11481 e Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 11480, Microsporum gypseum ATCC 14683 e Microsporum canis ATCC 32903. The chemical composition of the oil was subjected to analysis by gas chromatography (GC) and the antifungal assay by microbial screening, determining its minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate morphological changes in the strains of interest submitted to the treatments. The chromatography results demonstrated the presence of twenty compounds, with β-pinene being responsible for the majority (23.4%) of its constitution. The MIC values for the essential oil of B. trimera were 0.03 to 125 μg.mL-1 for five strains of filamentous fungi evaluated highlighting on the strain of action against T. rubrum CCT 5507 URM 1666 that had their growth inhibited at lower concentrations. For T. mentagrophytes ATCC 11481 the MIC was ≥ 1,000 μg.mL-1. The oil was considered to have fungicide potential after completion of CFM which was in the range from 0.06 to 125 μg.mL-1. Through the images of scaning electron microscopy it was possible to verify the morphological changes in the structures of the five fungal species subjected to the action of the essential oil of B. trimera. The results presented in this work allows us to assign the essential oil of carqueja as having antifungal activity against filamentous fungi dermatophytes, which may represent a new alternative for the treatment of dermatophytoses.