Abstract
Candida is a common agent of infection in humans, which has a wide distribution and is a colonizer fungus of the body, occasionally assuming the role of a pathogen. The type of treatment depends on the site of infection and the clinical condition of the patient. Superficial infections, such as mucosal infections, can be treated with topical medications. So-called alternative therapies have rarely been studied, although the literature records the effectiveness of some treatments, especially as complementary therapy. The aims of this review were to analyze evidence of the anti-Candida inhibitory activity of essential oils of the Citrus, Cupressus, Litsea, and Melaleuca species; in addition to addressing the chemical composition, probable mechanisms of antifungal action and studies of toxicity, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity were included. The literature from Medline/PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Brazilian database Periodic Capes was reviewed. Thirty-eight articles were selected, which included two articles on Litsea spp., seven on Cupressus spp., thirteen articles on Citrus spp., and twenty-one articles on Melaleuca spp. In conclusion, this study showed in vitro evidence for the use of essential oils of the plant species evaluated for the treatment of infections caused by different Candida species.
Highlights
Mycoses caused by Candida species are the most frequent opportunistic fungal infections affecting humans
Several factors interfere with the chemical composition of the Essential oils (EOs), including the origin of the plant, as well as the location and growing conditions, seasonal variation, phenotypic variation, and the part of the plant from which the EO was extracted
The in vitro determination of antifungal inhibitory effect is performed by different techniques
Summary
Mycoses caused by Candida species are the most frequent opportunistic fungal infections affecting humans. The clinical manifestations are the most varied, from superficial and subcutaneous to deep and disseminated infections [1]. More serious infections occur in hospitalized patients, who are often immunocompromised, undergoing invasive procedures, or using antibacterial drugs [2]. The most frequent species include C. albicans and others, often referred to as non-C. albicans species, such as C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, and C. krusei [3]. Non-invasive infections include those that affect the oral cavity, vagina, penis, and other parts of the body. Oral candidiasis is the most common, affecting the oral mucosa, tongue, and throat, followed by vulvovaginal candidiasis, causing vaginal discharge and other signs and symptoms. On the other hand, is less frequent [1]
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