The antifungal effect of the main monoterpenes of the essential oil of Artemisia herba alba var. Huguetii (Caball.) Maire of the region of Ouarzazate-Morocco when tested against strains of Candida

Artemisia herba alba var. huguetii (Caball.) Maire is an endemic species of Morocco belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is found in the Moroccan Sahara. It is in demand by the people who use it for its regulating properties of the menstrual cycle and for its ability to treat some microbial and urinary infections. However, few studies have been conducted on this species. Thus, to contribute to its valuation, we have selected this species in the Ouarzazate region to test its ability to fight against candidiasis. The performance of the essential oil (EO) of A.herba alba var. huguetii (Caball.) Maire, extracted from its flowering tops by hydrodistillation is of the order of 3.97 ± 0.1%. The GC-SM analysis identified 31 components essentially as oxygenated monoterpenes. The major compounds are β-thuyone (59.16%), followed by Camphor (18.38%) and dehydro Sabina Ketone (10.04%). On the studied yeasts (Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida sp), this EO showed an inhibitory effect against all strains tested with a MIC ranging from 1.8 to 29 μg / ml. The previous works on A. herba alba var. huguetii (Caball.) Maire of Ouarzazate have revealed a multitude of important chemical compounds. In addition to its promising anticandidosic activity, it could be a valid alternative to antifungal agents in the fight against dermatosis.