{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,17]],"date-time":"2026-04-17T15:36:31Z","timestamp":1776440191799,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Microbiology Society","issue":"11","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2009,11,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The composition and antifungal activity of clove essential oil (EO), obtained from <jats:italic>Syzygium aromaticum<\/jats:italic>, were studied. Clove oil was obtained commercially and analysed by GC and GC-MS. The EO analysed showed a high content of eugenol (85.3\u200a%). MICs, determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute protocols, and minimum fungicidal concentration were used to evaluate the antifungal activity of the clove oil and its main component, eugenol, against <jats:italic>Candida<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Aspergillus<\/jats:italic> and dermatophyte clinical and American Type Culture Collection strains. The EO and eugenol showed inhibitory activity against all the tested strains. To clarify its mechanism of action on yeasts and filamentous fungi, flow cytometric and inhibition of ergosterol synthesis studies were performed. Propidium iodide rapidly penetrated the majority of the yeast cells when the cells were treated with concentrations just over the MICs, meaning that the fungicidal effect resulted from an extensive lesion of the cell membrane. Clove oil and eugenol also caused a considerable reduction in the quantity of ergosterol, a specific fungal cell membrane component. Germ tube formation by <jats:italic>Candida albicans<\/jats:italic> was completely or almost completely inhibited by oil and eugenol concentrations below the MIC values. The present study indicates that clove oil and eugenol have considerable antifungal activity against clinically relevant fungi, including fluconazole-resistant strains, deserving further investigation for clinical application in the treatment of fungal infections.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1099\/jmm.0.010538-0","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2009,10,9]],"date-time":"2009-10-09T18:39:15Z","timestamp":1255113555000},"page":"1454-1462","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":524,"title":["Antifungal activity of the clove essential oil from Syzygium aromaticum on Candida, Aspergillus and dermatophyte species"],"prefix":"10.1099","volume":"58","author":[{"given":"Eug\u00e9nia","family":"Pinto","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology\/CEQOFFUP\/CEQUIMED, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-047 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Vale-Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology\/CEQOFFUP\/CEQUIMED, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-047 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Carlos","family":"Cavaleiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy\/CEF, University of Coimbra, 3000-295 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"L\u00edgia","family":"Salgueiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy\/CEF, University of Coimbra, 3000-295 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"345","reference":[{"key":"R1","volume-title":"Identification of Essential Oil Components by Gas Chromatography\/Mass Spectroscopy","author":"Adams","year":"2004"},{"key":"R2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"555","DOI":"10.1080\/10611860500422958","article-title":"Antimicrobial activity of clove oil and its potential in the treatment of vaginal candidiasis","volume":"13","author":"Ahmad","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Drug Target"},{"key":"R3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4168","DOI":"10.1021\/jf001494m","article-title":"Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of two Origanum species","volume":"49","author":"Aligiannis","year":"2001","journal-title":"J Agric Food Chem"},{"key":"R4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3332","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.37.10.3332-3337.1999","article-title":"Quantification of ergosterol content: novel method for determination of fluconazole susceptibility of Candida albicans","volume":"37","author":"Arthington-Skaggs","year":"1999","journal-title":"J Clin Microbiol"},{"key":"R5","first-page":"162","article-title":"Chemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Syzigium aromaticum (clove","volume":"2","author":"Ayoola","year":"2008","journal-title":"Afr J Microbiol Res"},{"key":"R6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"446","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2007.09.106","article-title":"Biological effects of essential oils \u2013 a review","volume":"46","author":"Bakkali","year":"2008","journal-title":"Food Chem Toxicol"},{"key":"R7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijfoodmicro.2004.03.022","article-title":"Essential oils: their antibacterial properties and potential applications in foods \u2013 a review","volume":"94","author":"Burt","year":"2004","journal-title":"Int J Food Microbiol"},{"key":"R8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1016\/S0966-842X(01)02094-7","article-title":"Virulence factors of Candida albicans","volume":"9","author":"Calderone","year":"2001","journal-title":"Trends Microbiol"},{"key":"R9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.19.1.50-62.2006","article-title":"Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties","volume":"19","author":"Carson","year":"2006","journal-title":"Clin Microbiol Rev"},{"key":"R10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1333","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2672.2006.02862.x","article-title":"Antifungal activity of Juniperus essential oils against dermatophyte, Aspergillus and Candida strains","volume":"100","author":"Cavaleiro","year":"2006","journal-title":"J Appl Microbiol"},{"key":"R11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"501","DOI":"10.1002\/ptr.2124","article-title":"The chemical composition and biological activity of clove essential oil, Eugenia caryophyllata ( Syzigium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae): a short review","volume":"21","author":"Chaieb","year":"2007a","journal-title":"Phytother Res"},{"key":"R12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1439-0507.2007.01391.x","article-title":"Antioxidant properties of the essential oil of Eugenia caryophyllata and its antifungal activity against a large number of clinical Candida species","volume":"50","author":"Chaieb","year":"2007b","journal-title":"Mycoses"},{"key":"R13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"909","DOI":"10.1093\/jac\/dkh436","article-title":"Evaluation of carvacrol and eugenol as prophylaxis and treatment of vaginal candidiasis in an immunosuppressed rat model","volume":"54","author":"Chami","year":"2004a","journal-title":"J Antimicrob Chemother"},{"key":"R14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1590\/S1413-86702004000300005","article-title":"Antifungal treatment with carvacrol and eugenol of oral candidiasis in immunosuppressed rats","volume":"8","author":"Chami","year":"2004b","journal-title":"Braz J Infect Dis"},{"key":"R15","volume-title":"Reference Method for Broth Dilution Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Yeasts","year":"2008a"},{"key":"R16","volume-title":"Reference Method for Broth Dilution Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Filamentous Fungi","year":"2008b"},{"key":"R17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"564","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.12.4.564","article-title":"Plant products as antimicrobial agents","volume":"12","author":"Cowan","year":"1999","journal-title":"Clin Microbiol Rev"},{"key":"R18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"170","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2672.2000.00943.x","article-title":"The mode of antimicrobial action of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil)","volume":"88","author":"Cox","year":"2000","journal-title":"J Appl Microbiol"},{"key":"R19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.3390\/60100087","article-title":"Determining the antimicrobial actions of tea tree oil","volume":"6","author":"Cox","year":"2001","journal-title":"Molecules"},{"key":"R20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4863","DOI":"10.1021\/jf0636465","article-title":"Membrane toxicity of antimicrobial compounds from essential oils","volume":"55","author":"Di Pasqua","year":"2007","journal-title":"J Agric Food Chem"},{"key":"R21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"308","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2672.2000.00969.x","article-title":"Antimicrobial agents from plants: antibacterial activity of plant volatile oils","volume":"88","author":"Dorman","year":"2000","journal-title":"J Appl Microbiol"},{"key":"R22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0714.1998.tb01944.x","article-title":"The effect of limited exposure to antifungal agents on the germ tube formation of oral Candida albicans","volume":"27","author":"Ellepola","year":"1998","journal-title":"J Oral Pathol Med"},{"key":"R23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1455","DOI":"10.1086\/497138","article-title":"The changing face of fungal infections in health care settings","volume":"41","author":"Fridkin","year":"2005","journal-title":"Clin Infect Dis"},{"key":"R24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fitote.2004.12.005","article-title":"Sensitivity of fungi isolated from onychomycosis to Eugenia cariophyllata essential oil and eugenol","volume":"76","author":"Gayoso","year":"2005","journal-title":"Fitoterapia"},{"key":"R25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1016\/0031-9422(94)85005-4","article-title":"A survey of antifungal compounds from higher plants, 1982\u20131993","volume":"37","author":"Grayer","year":"1994","journal-title":"Phytochemistry"},{"key":"R26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"355","DOI":"10.1080\/mmy.38.5.354.361","article-title":"Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil inhibits germ tube formation by Candida albicans","volume":"38","author":"Hammer","year":"2000","journal-title":"Med Mycol"},{"key":"R27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1081","DOI":"10.1093\/jac\/dkh243","article-title":"Antifungal effects of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil and its components on Candida albicans , Candida glabrata and Saccharomyces cerevisiae","volume":"53","author":"Hammer","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Antimicrob Chemother"},{"key":"R28","first-page":"395","article-title":"Antimicrobial activity of essential oils: a 1976\u20131986 literature review","volume":"53","author":"Janssen","year":"1987","journal-title":"Aspects of the test methods. Planta Med"},{"key":"R29","volume-title":"The Atlas of Spectral Data of Sesquiterpene Hydrocarbons","author":"Joulain","year":"1998"},{"key":"R30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"813","DOI":"10.2174\/0929867033457719","article-title":"Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils","volume":"10","author":"Kalemba","year":"2003","journal-title":"Curr Med Chem"},{"key":"R31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1513\/pats.200510-110JH","article-title":"Fungal infections","volume":"3","author":"Kauffman","year":"2006","journal-title":"Proc Am Thorac Soc"},{"key":"R32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"910","DOI":"10.1006\/bbrc.1995.1272","article-title":"Mode of action and resistance to azole antifungals associated with the formation of 14 \u03b1 -methylergosta-8,24(28)-dien-3 \u03b2 ,6 \u03b1 -diol","volume":"207","author":"Kelly","year":"1995","journal-title":"Biochem Biophys Res Commun"},{"key":"R33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6939","DOI":"10.1021\/jf050709v","article-title":"Solid- and vapour-phase antimicrobial activities of six essential oils: susceptibility of selected foodborne bacterial and fungal strains","volume":"53","author":"L\u00f3pez","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Agric Food Chem"},{"key":"R34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2897","DOI":"10.1128\/AEM.63.7.2897-2905.1997","article-title":"Development of the FUN-1 family of fluorescent probes for vacuole labeling and viability testing of yeasts","volume":"63","author":"Millard","year":"1997","journal-title":"Appl Environ Microbiol"},{"key":"R35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1016\/S0378-1097(03)00890-5","article-title":"Susceptibility of methicillin-resistant staphylococci to oregano essential oil, carvacrol and thymol","volume":"230","author":"Nostro","year":"2004","journal-title":"FEMS Microbiol Lett"},{"key":"R36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"609","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1198-743x.2001.00307.x","article-title":"Cytometric approach for rapid evaluation of susceptibility of Candida strains to antifungals","volume":"7","author":"Pina-Vaz","year":"2001","journal-title":"Clin Microbiol Infect"},{"key":"R37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-3083.2004.00886.x","article-title":"Antifungal activity of Thymus oils and their major compounds","volume":"18","author":"Pina-Vaz","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol"},{"key":"R38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1367","DOI":"10.1099\/jmm.0.46443-0","article-title":"Antifungal activity of the essential oil of Thymus pulegioides on Candida , Aspergillus and dermatophyte species","volume":"55","author":"Pinto","year":"2006","journal-title":"J Med Microbiol"},{"key":"R39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"587","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0714.2008.00687.x","article-title":"Correlation between enzyme production, germ tube formation and susceptibility to fluconazole in Candida species isolated from patients with denture-related stomatitis and control individuals","volume":"37","author":"Pinto","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Oral Pathol Med"},{"key":"R40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4S","DOI":"10.1592\/phco.24.3.4S.33151","article-title":"Changing strategies for the management of invasive fungal infections","volume":"24","author":"Rapp","year":"2004","journal-title":"Pharmacotherapy"},{"key":"R41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2005.04.025","article-title":"Medicinal plants and antimicrobial activity","volume":"100","author":"R\u00edos","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Ethnopharmacol"},{"key":"R42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"336","DOI":"10.1016\/0005-2760(85)90057-8","article-title":"Multiple functions for sterols in Saccharomyces cerevisiae","volume":"837","author":"Rodriguez","year":"1985","journal-title":"Biochim Biophys Acta"},{"key":"R43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3668","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.01242-08","article-title":"Comparison between the standardized Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M38-A2 method and a 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-[(sulphenylamino)carbonyl]-2 H -tetrazolium hydroxide-based method for testing antifungal susceptibility of dermatophytes","volume":"46","author":"Shehata","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Clin Microbiol"},{"key":"R44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijantimicag.2006.01.002","article-title":"Candidaemia in Europe: epidemiology and resistance","volume":"27","author":"Tortorano","year":"2006","journal-title":"Int J Antimicrob Agents"},{"key":"R45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1141","DOI":"10.1002\/jsfa.1769","article-title":"Effect of essential oils of cinnamon, clove, lemon grass, oregano and palmarosa on growth of and fumonisin B1 production by Fusarium verticillioides in maize","volume":"84","author":"Velluti","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Sci Food Agric"}],"container-title":["Journal of Medical Microbiology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.microbiologyresearch.org\/content\/journal\/jmm\/10.1099\/jmm.0.010538-0?crawler=true","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,28]],"date-time":"2020-09-28T07:18:11Z","timestamp":1601277491000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.microbiologyresearch.org\/content\/journal\/jmm\/10.1099\/jmm.0.010538-0"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2009,11,1]]},"references-count":45,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2009,11,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1099\/jmm.0.010538-0","relation":{},"ISSN":["0022-2615","1473-5644"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0022-2615","type":"print"},{"value":"1473-5644","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2009,11,1]]}}}