ABSTRACT
Fungal pathogens are probably an even greater contributor to human morbidity and mortality than current estimates since epidemiological data for fungal infections are unacceptably poor due to a lack of standards for reporting fungal disease and problems of misdiagnosis. Essential Oils (EOs) are natural, aromatic, volatile and oily liquids that can be obtained from several parts of plants. The main mechanism of action of antimicrobial EOs is associated with its lipophilicity and consequent interaction with the microbial cell membrane. Although no specific interaction of EOs with human membranes limits their clinical use as an antimicrobial agent in the treatment of systemic diseases, studies have shown promising clinical efficacy in the treatment of superficial mycoses, including fluconazole-refractory oral candidiasis in AIDS patients, vaginal candidiasis and pityriasis versicolor. The need of antifungal agents has grown in recent years in response to the challenge of invasive mycoses, multidrug resistant fungi and the appearance of new human diseases caused by fungal pathogens.
