EFFECT OF OCIMUM ESSENTIAL OIL ON MOLD ISOLATED FROM VIETNAMESE SWIMMERS

Introduction: Mold contamination poses a significant threat to various sectors, including food safety, infrastructure, and human health. The increasing resistance of fungi to synthetic antifungal agents necessitates the exploration of natural alternatives. Ocimum gratissimum (L.) essential oil has shown promising antifungal activity. Objective: This study investigated the antifungal properties of Ocimum gratissimum (L.) essential oil on various mold strains. Subjects and methods: The antifungal effectiveness of Ocimum gratissimum (L.) essential oil was evaluated against pathogenic mold strains collected from clinical samples, utilizing a broth dilution technique. Results: Ocimum gratissimum essential oil displayed excellent in vitro antifungal efficacy against the tested pathogenic mold strains. A concentration of 0.6 µL/mL of essential oil completely inhibited 100% fungal isolates. Furthermore, a two-fold dilution (0.3 µL/mL) of Ocimum gratissimum oil was still inhibit Phaeohyphomycetes group. Conclusion: In conclusion, O. gratissimum essential oil demonstrates significant potential for development into novel formulations for the treatment of mold-related diseases.