Anticandidal and antidermatophytic activity of Cinnamomum species essential oils

Essential oils from eleven species of Cinnamomum, viz C. camphora, C. iners, C. microphyllum, C. mollisimum, C. porectum, C. pubescens, C. rhyncophyllum, C. scortechinii, C. sintoc, C. suvabenium and C. zeylanicum, were tested for their antifungal properties against the causal organism of candidiasis (Candida albicans and C. glabrata) and ringworm (Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. rubrum). The essential oils of C. suvabenium were the most active against a wide spectrum of the targeted micro-organisms, giving minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 0.47-2.52 mu g/mu l. The anticandidal and antidermatophytic properties of the essential oils of C. iners, C. sintoc and C. zeylanicum require further investigation. The antifungal properties of some of the major components of the essential oils were assessed.