Chemical composition and anticandidal properties of the essential oil isolated from aerial parts of Cotula cinerea: a rare and threatened medicinal plant in Morocco

The chemical composition and anticandidal properties of the essential oil of Moroccan Cotula cinerea aerial parts have been examined. GC-MS data were used to identify 24 constituents. Oxygenated monoterpenes constituted the main fraction with trans-thujone (41.4%), cis-verbenyl acetate (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (8.2%) and camphor (5.5%) as the major components. The anticandidal activity of the essential oil was evaluated using a panel of human pathogenic fungi (Candida albicans CCMM L4 and CCMM L5, C. krusei CCMM L10, C. glabrata CCMM L7 and C. parapsilosis CCMM L18). The oil showed high anticandidal activity against all investigated strains with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 3.2 to 4.7 mg/mL depending on the tested yeast and 5.9 mg/mL as a minimal candidicidal concentration value. These findings add significant information to the pharmacological activity of Cotula cinerea essential oil, which may present a good alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of resistant strains of Candida.