In vitro Anti-Fungal Activity of Cuminum
cyminum (Cumin Seed) Essential Oil against
Clinical Isolates of Candida Species

Vilas A. Kamble

Abstract

In vitro Anti-Fungal Activity of Cuminum cyminum (Cumin Seed) Essential Oil against Clinical Isolates of Candida Species

Objective: The objective of the present investigation was to assess the In vitro inhibitory activity of essential oil extracted from Cuminum cyminum (cumin seed oil) against clinical isolates of Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida.
Methods: The cumin seed oil used in the present investigation was procured from Rakesh Sandal Products, Kanpur (U. P., India). The anticandidal activity of the essential oil was assessed against 75 clinical isolates of Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida. Sensitivity profile of clinical isolates to undiluted and diluted (3:1, 2:2 and 1:3) cumin seed oil was evaluated by disc diffusion method. Broth microdilution and broth macrodilution methods were used to evaluate the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFC).
Results:Cumin seed oil strongly inhibited all clinical isolates of C. albicans and non-albicans Candida with growth inhibition zones ranging from 27 to 72 mm. Cumin seed oil inhibited C. albicans growth with mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.43 μl/ml (v/v) and 0.32 μl/ml (v/v) by broth micro dilution and broth macrodilution method, respectively. The clinical isolates of C. albicans required as high as 0.62 μl/ml (v/v) concentration of cumin seed oil for its inhibition by both methods. The isolates of nonalbicans Candida showed MIC range of 0.02 – 1.25 μl/ml (v/v) by broth microdilution and broth macrodilution method. The majority of isolates of non-albicans Candida were inhibited at 0.62 μl/ml (v/v) and 0.31 μl/ml (v/v) by broth micro dilution and broth macrodilution method, respectively.
Conclusion: Cumin seed oil is an effective natural anticandidal agent that shows significant promise as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of superficial and mucosal candidiasis including vaginal candidiasis. Thus cumin seed oil can be effectively utilized for the control of Candida yeast.