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DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributorDepartment of Health Technology and Informaticsen_US
dc.creatorIp, Pui-shan-
dc.identifier.urihttps://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/4386-
dc.languageEnglishen_US
dc.publisherHong Kong Polytechnic University-
dc.rightsAll rights reserveden_US
dc.titleIn vitro antifungal activity of essential oils against the most common dermatophytes isolated from a group of patients with tinea pedis in Hong Kongen_US
dcterms.abstractThe aims of this study were to identify the distribution of dermatophyte species of tinea pedis in a group of patients in Hong Kong, and evaluate the antifungal activities of four essential oils namely Cymbopogon flexuosus (lemongrass) oil, Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil, Thymus vulgaris (thyme) oil and Commiphora myrrha (myrrh) oil against the two most common dermatophytes identified. Lastly, the correlation of these susceptibility tests results between the four essential oils and a traditional antifungal drug fluconazole were examined. In this study, the causative fungal agents of tinea pedis and the demographic characteristics were examined from 123 participants. The susceptibility of the randomly selected strains from the two most common dermatophyte species toward the essential oils and fluconazole were determined by evaluating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. A slightly modification of the CLSI M38-A guideline (NCCLS, 2002) was used in susceptibility testing. It was identified that Trichophyton rubrum (63.5%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (32.9%) were the two most common causative agents. In the positive cases (n=85), number of male subject was statistically significant higher than female (X2 = 11.78,p> = 0.001). All the four essential oils exhibited antifungal activities at very low concentration against both dermatophyte strains (ranged from 0.002% to 0.125%). Lemongrass oil demonstrated the greatest antifungal activity followed with myrrh oil, thyme oil and lastly the tea tree oil. However, the antifungal activities of the four essential oils were not significant different (p > 0.05). Only a weak association between the susceptibility of fluconazole and thyme oil was demonstrated in treating T. mentagrophytes (p < 0.05, r = 0.561), correlations were not significant for the rest combinations (p >0.05). Data in this study suggested that these essential oils are feasible in treating dermatophytoses. In addition to the lack of correlation between fluconazole and essential oil susceptibilities, essential oils may be alternative antimicrobial agents in treating fluconazole-resistant dermatophytes strains.en_US
dcterms.extentix, 66 leaves : col. ill. ; 30 cm.en_US
dcterms.isPartOfPolyU Electronic Thesesen_US
dcterms.issued2008en_US
dcterms.educationalLevelAll Masteren_US
dcterms.educationalLevelM.Sc.en_US
dcterms.LCSHHong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations.en_US
dcterms.LCSHAthlete's foot -- Treatmenten_US
dcterms.LCSHAntifungal agents.en_US
dcterms.LCSHDermatophytes.en_US
dcterms.LCSHEssences and essential oils.en_US
dcterms.accessRightsrestricted accessen_US

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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/4386