Comparison of the Antifunctional Ability of Clove and Kenanga Essential Oils against Candida Albican

 

Background: Candida albicans is a normal flora in several mucous membranes in the body that is opportunistic, so that under certain conditions it can become a pathogen. Currently, the trend of using traditional medicine for fungal infections is increasing. Essential oils have benefits apart from being a fragrance and flavoring of food, as well as being antibacterial and antifungal. One of the plants that contain essential oils and are widely used in society are cloves and ylang flowers. Where the essential oil content of clove is higher than that of Kenanga flower essential oil.

Research purposes: This research was conducted to determine the antifungal power of clove and ylang flower essential oils on the growth of Candida albicans fungus and to determine which one had the smallest concentration in inhibiting or killing Candida albicans fungus.

Research methods: This antifungal test was carried out in vitro using the liquid dilution method by assessing the Minimum Inhibitory Content (MIC) and Minimum Killing Content (KBM) of clove and ylang flower essential oils on the growth of the fungus Candida albicans. The method used is to make several serial dilutions of the test material with concentrations of 40%, 20%, 10%, 5%, 2,5%, 1,25%, and 0,625%.

Results: From the five tests it was found that the average MIC and KBM of clove essential oil on the growth of Candida albicans fungus were 1,25% and 1,75%, while Kenanga flower essential oil did not have MIC and KBM on the growth of Candida albicans fungus at the concentrations tested. .

Conclusion: Clove essential oil has antifungal activity against Candida albicans while Kenanga flower essential oil has no antifungal activity at the concentrations tested in this study. The antifungal power of clove essential oil was better than that of Kenanga flower essential oil. 

Keywords: Clove essential oil, Kenanga flower essential oil, Candida albicans, KHM, KBM.