Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
Measuring Volatile and Non-volatile Antifungal Activity of Biocontrol Products
Published on: December 5, 2020
Effect of citral, eugenol, nerolidol and alpha-terpineol on the ultrastructural changes of Trichophyton
1Dept of Forest Sciences, Seoul National University, Gwanakgu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
The antifungal effects of citral, eugenol, nerolidol and alpha-terpineol on Trichophyton mentagrophytes were investigated. Citral over 0.1 mg/ml strongly inhibited the hyphal growth of T. mentagrophytes, and the antifungal activity of alpha-terpineol was less effective. The morphological changes of the fungus exposed to the terpenes were observed by electron microscopy. The hyphae were distorted and collapsed at 0.2, 0.4 and 1 mg/ml of eugenol, nerolidol and alpha-terpineol respectively, and cell membrane and organelles were irreversibly damaged at 0.2 mg/ml citral. These suggested that four terpenes possess antifungal activity against T. mentagrophytes, and the activity might lead to irreversible cellular disruption.
