CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF HYPTIS SUAVEOLENS (L.) POIT LEAVES ESSENTIAL OIL AGAINST ASPERGILLUS SPECIES

This study aimed to identify the constituents of the essential oil from Hyptis suaveolens (L.) leaves using a Gas Chromatograph - Mass Spectrometer and assess its inhibitory effect on some potentially pathogenic Aspergilli (A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. ochraceus, A. fumigatus and A. niger). Eucaliptol (47.64%) was the most abundant component in the oil, followed for gama-ellemene (8.15%), beta-pynene (6.55%), (+)- 3-carene (5.16%), trans-beta-cariophyllene (4.69%) and germacrene (4.86%). The essential oil revealed an interesting anti-Aspergillus property characterized by a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration of 40 and 80 mu L/mL, respectively. The oil at 80 and 40 mu L/mL strongly inhibited the mycelial growth of A. fumigatus and A. parasiticus along 14 days. In addition, at 10 and 20 mu L/mL the oil was able to cause morphological changes in A. flavus as decreased conidiation, leakage of cytoplasm, loss of pigmentation and disrupted cell structure suggesting fungal wall degeneration. These findings showed the interesting anti-Aspergillus property of H. suaveolens leaves essential oil supporting its possible rational use as alternative source of new antifungal compounds to be applied in the aspergillosis treatment.