The anti-dermatophyte activity of Commiphora molmol

Abstract

Context: Commiphora molmol Engl (Burseraceae) or myrrh has been traditionally used for the treatment of skin fungal infections.

Objective: This study evaluates the antifungal activity of myrrh ethanol extract and essential oil against skin dermatophytes.

Materials and methods: The antifungal evaluations were performed by the food poisoning technique (250 ppm) and micro-broth dilution assay (800-6.25 µg/mL) against Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, and T. verrucosum. The chemical composition of myrrh oil and ethanol extract was analyzed by GC and GC-MS.

Results: Furanoeudesma 1,3-diene and menthofuran were the main components of myrrh oil, while 2-tert-butyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, benzenemethanol,3-methoxy-α-phenyl, and curzerene were the main components of myrrh ethanol extract. The inhibitory effect of myrrh oil and ethanol extract against dermatophytes were 43.1-61.6% and 12.5-27.5%, respectively. The MIC and MFC values of myrrh oil were 25-100 and 25-200 µg/mL while these amounts for ethanol extract were 25-400 and 25-400 µg/mL, respectively. Therefore, myrrh oil had higher antifungal activity than that of the ethanol extract. Both extracts showed good anti-elastase activity.

Conclusion: The results of our investigation confirmed the traditional uses of C. molmol as a poultice for the treatment of cutaneous fungal infections.

Keywords: Dermatophytes; Myrrh; essential oil; ethanol extract.