Lester, Geoffrey Elliot

English

ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University

  Geoffrey Lester  Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of Essential Oils on Candida Albicans and Candida Tropicalus Candida is a genus of yeast found worldwide and most commonly as a natural part of human flora.  In immunocompromised individuals, candida can pass through the mucosa membrane and cause serious infections. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the effectiveness of essential oils as a cheap alternative to treating and preventing yeast infections. This experiment focused on testing three different essential oils; Cinnamon Bark oil, Lemon Grass oil and Citronella oil and comparing their effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of Candida fungi. Methods 1: Serial dilution and Assay Candida samples were isolated and then allowed to incubate for 24 hours. After incubation the Candida samples were then diluted down to a manageable ratio. The diluted samples were then placed into a 96 well plate and then an essential oil treatment was applied to each row.  After incubating for 24 hours the 96 - well plate was then analyzed using a spectrophotometer. Up to a certain concentration there was found to be a direct correlation between the concentration of essential oils and the level of inhibition of the candida sample.  However the turbidity of the essential oils shifted the data retrieved from the spectrophotometer.  Methods 2: Plate Count  Plate Counts were performed is order to further quantify the level of inhibition by each of the essential oils. Candida samples that were treated with the essential oils were diluted into PBS Buffer and then plated on SDA Agar. After incubation individual colonies were counted and then quantified in order to again measure the level of inhibition by the essential oil.  Conclusion The data yielded from this experiment was invaluable and could be beneficial in future studies. From the results of this experiment it can be inferred that the three essential oils in this experiment worked as powerful fungal statics. The essential oils examined in this experiment do not kill the fungus but are effective in inhibiting the growth of the fungal spores.  

Minimum inhibitory concentration of essential oils on Candida fungus

Georgia State University

  
Geoffrey Lester 
 
Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of Essential Oils on Candida Albicans and Candida Tropicalus 
Candida is a genus of yeast found worldwide and most commonly as a natural part of human flora.  In 
immunocompromised individuals, candida can pass through the mucosa membrane and cause serious 
infections. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the effectiveness of essential oils as a cheap 
alternative to treating and preventing yeast infections. This experiment focused on testing three 
different essential oils; Cinnamon Bark oil, Lemon Grass oil and Citronella oil and comparing their 
effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of Candida fungi. 
Methods 1: Serial dilution and Assay 
Candida samples were isolated and then allowed to incubate for 24 hours. After incubation the Candida 
samples were then diluted down to a manageable ratio. The diluted samples were then placed into a 96 
well plate and then an essential oil treatment was applied to each row.  After incubating for 24 hours 
the 96 - well plate was then analyzed using a spectrophotometer. Up to a certain concentration there 
was found to be a direct correlation between the concentration of essential oils and the level of 
inhibition of the candida sample.  However the turbidity of the essential oils shifted the data retrieved 
from the spectrophotometer.  
Methods 2: Plate Count  
Plate Counts were performed is order to further quantify the level of inhibition by each of the essential 
oils. Candida samples that were treated with the essential oils were diluted into PBS Buffer and then 
plated on SDA Agar. After incubation individual colonies were counted and then quantified in order to 
again measure the level of inhibition by the essential oil.  
Conclusion 
The data yielded from this experiment was invaluable and could be beneficial in future studies. From the 
results of this experiment it can be inferred that the three essential oils in this experiment worked as 
powerful fungal statics. The essential oils examined in this experiment do not kill the fungus but are 
effective in inhibiting the growth of the fungal spores.  


https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1671&amp;context=gsurc

Minimum inhibitory concentration of essential oils on Candida fungus

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University

Georgia State University