Chemical Composition and <i>in vitro</i> Antifungal Properties of Essential Oils from Leaves and Flowers of <i>Erigeron floribundus</i> (H.B. et K.) Sch. Bip. From Cameroon

Abstract

Abstract The chemical composition of the essential oils from leaves and flowers of Erigeron floribundus (H.B. et K.) Sch. Bip. from Cameroon was investigated by GC and GC/MS and their antifungal activities evaluated by the agar dilution method. The leaf oil was rich in (E)-2-lachnophyllum ester (23.7–26.2%), β-caryophyllene (14.7–16.6%), (E)-β-farnesene (14.6–16.4%) and limonene (8.5–11.4%). The flower oil contained mainly (E)-β-farnesene (22.3–21.1%), β-caryophyllene (17.3–20.1%) and germacrene D (10.1–11.0%). These oils exhibited broad antifungal activities againstTrichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. The flower oil was found to be more active than the leaf oil. Candida albicans was the most sensitive fungus with a MIC of 2.25 μL/mL.