Antifungal Activity and Chemical Composition of Origanum Vulgare L. Essential Oil

This study is important because it provides information for obtaining a natural green compound to replace the toxic fungicides used in our days in crop and grain protection. The aim of this research is to establish the minimum concentration of essential oil (EO) extracted from Origanum vulgare L. which causes a fungi static and fungicidal effect. Origanum vulgare L. was cultivated in a temperate climate zone in Timisoara, Romania. The EO were obtained through hydrodistillation using Clevenger equipment. The chemical composition of the EO was determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. The Microbiology Discipline from Horticulture and Forestry Faculty of Timisoara provided the fungal cultures used in this study. To point out the inhibition of the mycelium we used the poisoned medium method. Fungi plugs of 8 mm 0 from active mycelia were inoculated on CYGA medium amended with Origanum vulgare L. EO at the following concentrations (v/v); 0.25, 0.5, 1; 5; 10 15; 20 mg. L-1. The growth of the mycelia was measured after 5 days. The readings were reduced by 8 mm representing the initial plug diameter. The main chemotypes identified were trans-Caryophyllene 30.729%, Sabinene-18.16%, Caryophyllene oxide-8.635%, Germacrene-D-8.159%. The MIC of the Origanum vulgare L. essential oil for both species of fungi was 0.5 mg.L-1. The MFC of the Origanum vulgare L. EO for both species of fungi was 5 mg.L-1. In the present research work, we demonstrated that Origanum vulgare L. essential oil can be very effective in fungal growth inhibition even at small concentrations like 0.5 mg.L-1.