The Influence of Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) on Fluconazole Activity against Fluconazole-Resistant Candida albicans Strains
Table 3
Fluconazole MIC (a) and MFC (b) values (μg/mL) for fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans clinical strains after their exposure to MIC TTO.
(a) Fluconazole MIC values (μg/mL)
C. albicans ( = 32)a
C. albicans ( = 20)b
C. albicans ( = 8)c
Control
Brief pretreatment with TTO
Prolonged pretreatment with TTO and fluconazole
Control
Brief pretreatment with TTO
Prolonged pretreatment with TTO and fluconazole
Control
Brief pretreatment with TTO
Prolonged pretreatment with TTO and fluconazole
Range of MICs
64.0–256.0
64.0–256.0
0.125–256.0
256.0-256.0
256.0-256.0
0.125–2.67
64.0–256.0
64.0–256.0
12.0–42.67
Average MIC
244.0 ± 47.22
244.0 ± 47.22
38.46 ± 84.35
256.0 ± 0.0
256.0 ± 0.0
0.52 ± 0.56
208.0 ± 88.88
208.0 ± 88.88
24.54 ± 11.54
< 0.0001e < 0.0001f
< 0.0001e < 0.0001f
< 0.0002e < 0.0002f
(b) Fluconazole MFC values (μg/mL)
C. albicans ( = 32)a
C. albicans ( = 20)b
C. albicans ( = 8)c
Control
Brief pretreatment with TTO
Prolonged pretreatment with TTO and fluconazole
Control
Brief pretreatment with TTO
Prolonged pretreatment with TTO and fluconazole
Control
Brief pretreatment with TTO
Prolonged pretreatment with TTO and fluconazole
Range of MFCs
213.33–256.0
256.0-256.0
0.17–256.0
256.0-256.0
256.0-256.0
0.17–23.33
213.33–256.0
256.0-256.0
14.67–213.33
Average MFC
254.48 ± 7.54
256.0 ± 0.0
66.62 ± 96.16
256.0 ± 0.0
256.0 ± 0.0
4.25 ± 6.19
250.67 ± 15.08
256.0 ± 0.0
127.83 ± 70.42
< 0.0001e < 0.0001f
< 0.0001e < 0.0001f
< 0.0003e < 0.0002f
All 32 tested fluconazole-resistant clinical Candida albicans strains.
bFluconazole-resistant clinical Candida albicans strains ( = 20) that exhibited susceptibility to fluconazole after prolonged pretreatment with TTO.
cFluconazole-resistant clinical Candida albicans strains ( = 8) that exhibited intermediate susceptibility to fluconazole after prolonged pretreatment with TTO. : the level of statistical significance for the average MIC/MFC values. : statistical significance compared to the control. : statistical significance compared to the group that was pretreated briefly.
