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JAC Advance Access published online on November 20, 2006
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, doi:10.1093/jac/dkl473
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Received May 4, 2006
Revised October 26, 2006
Accepted October 29, 2006

Brief report

In vitro activity of Citrus bergamia (bergamot) oil against clinical isolates of dermatophytes

M. Sanguinetti 1 *, B. Posteraro 1, L. Romano 2, F. Battaglia 3, T. Lopizzo 1, E. De Carolis 1, and G. Fadda 1

1 Institute of Microbiology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
2 Laboratory of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, Center for High Technology Research and Education in Biomedical Sciences, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Campobasso, Italy
3 Unit of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Hospital of San Filippo Neri, Rome, Italy

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
M. Sanguinetti, E-mail: msanguinetti{at}rm.unicatt.it


  Abstract

Objectives: Recently, bergamot oil was shown to be a potent antifungal agent in vitro against clinically important Candida species. In this study, the activities of bergamot natural essence and its furocoumarin-free and distilled extracts on dermatophytes such as Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton species were investigated.

Methods: In vitro susceptibility testing assays on 92 clinical isolates of dermatophytes (Trichophyton mentagrophytes n = 20, Trichophyton rubrum n = 18, Trichophyton interdigitale n = 15, Trichophyton tonsurans n = 2, Microsporum canis n = 24, Microsporum gypseum n = 1 and Epidermophyton floccosum n = 12) were performed using the CLSI M38-A broth microdilution method, except for employing an inoculum of 1-3 x 103 cfu/mL. MICs were determined at a visual endpoint reading of 80% inhibition compared with the growth control.

Results: MICs (v/v) of all fungi ranged from 0.156% to 2.5% for the natural essence, from 0.02% to 2.5% for the distilled extract, and from 0.08% to 1.25% for the furocoumarin-free extract. The three isolates of T. tonsurans and M. gypseum exhibited the highest MIC values.

Conclusions: Data from this study indicate that bergamot oil is active in vitro against several common species of dermatophytes, suggesting its potential use for topical treatment of dermatophytoses.

Keywords: MIC; broth microdilution; antifungal susceptibility.
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