Biochemistry Laboratory, Academic Unit of Health, Education and Health Center, Federal University of Campina Grande, Cuité, Brazil.
Postgraduate Program in Development and Technological Innovation in Medicines, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil.
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2021 Sep;105(18):6559-6578. doi: 10.1007/s00253-021-11530-5. Epub 2021 Aug 28.
The Caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome where semiarid climatic conditions promote singularities in adaptive biodiversity. Many aromatic species are found in this region possessing antifungal properties, which are attributed to their essential oils. Thus, we questioned whether essential plant oils found in the Caatinga present anti-dermatophytic potential. Dermatophytes are keratinophilic fungi that cause one of the most prevalent mycoses globally, skin infections known as dermatophytoses (tineas). Here, we provide a comprehensive report of the available published information, analyzing the methods used to evaluate the antifungal activity, verifying the quality of the evidence and possible clinical applications, and discussing research trends in this area. The plants studied concentrated in the genera Croton (Euphorbiaceae), Lippia (Verbenaceae), Piper (Piperaceae), and Mentha (Lamiaceae). All of the studies used in vitro tests to analyze antifungal potential, and little evidence was ascertained concerning the mechanism of antifungal action. In addition, the essential oils also evidenced drug modifying activity of conventional antifungal drugs (Ketoconazole and Terbinafine). We believe that the anti-dermatophyte potential of plant essential oils occurring within the Caatinga is underestimated and that this review will encourage future chemical-pharmacological investigations into the plants within this biome.Key points• The essential oils from plants occurring in the Caatinga Biome present unknown anti-dermatophyte potential.• The studies against dermatophyte fungi concentrate on the families Lamiaceae and Verbenaceae.• In vitro assays were used to assess the anti-dermatophyte potential of the essential oils.
卡廷加是一个独特的巴西生物群落，半干旱的气候条件促进了适应生物多样性的独特性。该地区有许多芳香物种，具有抗真菌特性，这归因于它们的精油。因此，我们想知道卡廷加地区发现的植物精油是否具有抗皮肤真菌的潜力。皮肤真菌是嗜角蛋白真菌，会引起全球最普遍的真菌感染之一，即皮肤感染，称为皮肤真菌病（癣）。在这里，我们提供了已发表信息的综合报告，分析了评估抗真菌活性的方法，验证了证据的质量和可能的临床应用，并讨论了该领域的研究趋势。研究的植物集中在大戟属（大戟科）、莱帕（马鞭草科）、胡椒（胡椒科）和薄荷（唇形科）属。所有研究均使用体外试验来分析抗真菌潜力，并且对于抗真菌作用的机制几乎没有确定的证据。此外，精油还证明了常规抗真菌药物（酮康唑和特比萘芬）的药物修饰活性。我们认为，卡廷加生物群落中植物精油的抗皮肤真菌潜力被低估了，并且这篇综述将鼓励未来对该生物群落中植物的化学药理学研究。
关键点
卡廷加生物群落中植物的精油具有未知的抗皮肤真菌潜力。
针对皮肤真菌的研究集中在唇形科和马鞭草科。
体外试验用于评估精油的抗皮肤真菌潜力。
