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Immune Defences: A View from the Side of the Essential Oils
Vivian Tullio1, Janira Roana1, Lorenza Cavallo1
1Department Public Health and Pediatrics, Microbiology Division, University of Torino, 10126 Turin, Italy.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 8, 2023
Summary
Essential oils like thyme and tea tree oil enhance human immune cells
Area of Science:
- Phytochemistry and Immunology
- Antimicrobial drug discovery
- Natural product research
Background:
- Increasing antimicrobial resistance necessitates novel therapeutic strategies.
- Essential oils from medicinal plants are explored as natural antimicrobial resources.
- Investigating natural products' impact on host immune responses is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of specific essential oils against common antifungal drugs.
- To evaluate the impact of essential oils on human phagocyte microbicidal activity.
- To assess essential oils' potential in combating drug-resistant fungal infections.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of thyme red oil, tea tree oil, and Mentha essential oils.
- Assay of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) killing capacity against Candida strains.
- Comparison with fluconazole, anidulafungin, and caspofungin.
Main Results:
- Essential oils enhanced PMNs' intracellular killing of Candida albicans and C. krusei.
- Efficacy was comparable or superior to conventional antifungal drugs, even at subinhibitory concentrations.
- Essential oils demonstrated significant immunomodulatory effects on phagocytes.
Conclusions:
- Thyme red oil, tea tree oil, and Mentha essential oils show promise as adjuncts to antifungal therapy.
- These natural products can bolster innate immune responses against fungal pathogens.
- Further research into essential oils could yield new strategies against antibiotic-resistant infections.
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