The small amount of data regarding the antifungal activity of Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter against dermatophytes, Malassezia spp. and Aspergillus spp., associated with the few comparative studies on the antimicrobial activity of methanolic, ethanolic, and butanolic extracts underpins the study herein presented. The total condensed tannin (TCT), phenol (TPC), flavonoid (TFC), and caffeoylquinic acid (CQC) content of methanol, butanol, and ethanol (80% and 100%) extracts of D. viscosa were assessed and their bactericidal and fungicidal activities were evaluated. The antibacterial, anti-Candida and anti-Malassezia activities were evaluated by using the disk diffusion method, whereas the anti-Microsporum canis and anti-Aspergillus fumigatus activities were assessed by studying the toxicity effect of the extracts on vegetative growth, sporulation and germination. The methanolic extract contained the highest TPC and CQC content. It contains several phytochemicals mainly caffeoylquinic acid derivatives as determined by liquid chromatography with photodiode array and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric detection (LC/PDA/ESI-MS) analysis. All extracts showed an excellent inhibitory effect against bacteria and Candida spp., whereas methanolic extract exhibited the highest antifungal activities against Malassezia spp., M. canis and A. fumigatus strains. The results clearly showed that all extracts, in particular the methanolic extract, might be excellent antimicrobial drugs for treating infections that are life threatening (i.e., Malassezia) or infections that require mandatory treatments (i.e., M. canis or A. fumigatus).

Dittrichia viscosawhich belongs to theAsteraceaefamily is frequently used to treat hematomas and skin disorders in Mediterranean herbal medicine. This study aims to validate its antioxidant effects and its potential on healing wounds. The ethanolic extract ofD. viscosaleaves was formulated as 2.5% and 5% (w/w) in ointment bases on the beeswax and sesame oil. During this study, the ethanolicD. viscosaextract, ointments containing 2.5% and 5% ofD. viscosaextract, and the vehiculum were assessed for their total phenol content (TPC), caffeoylquinic acid content (CQC), and antioxidant activities using complementary methods (TAC, the DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and the BCB). The effects on wound healing of obtained ointments were evaluated by excision of the wound in a mice model for 12 days. Subsequently, the excised wound areas were measured at the3rd,9th, and12thdays. The skin tissues were isolated for histological studies. The ointments containingD. viscosaextract (2.5%, 5%) possessed a considerable TPC, CQC, radical scavenging potential, and antioxidant activities compared to the vehiculum. Treated animals with ointments containingD. viscosaextract at 2.5% and 5% showed almost and totally healed wounds compared to the vehiculum and control groups, evidenced by good skin regeneration and reepithelialization. The present work showed the role ofD. viscosaantioxidants exerted by its polyphenolic compounds, in particular, caffeoylquinic acids, in enhancing wound healing.

In spite of the increasing medical interest of Malassezia yeasts, the virulence factors of M. furfur causing blood stream infections (BSI) were never investigated. Therefore, phospholipase (Pz), lipase (Lz), hemolysin (Hz), biofilm production and in vitro antifungal susceptibility profiles were evaluated in M. furfur strains, both isolated from pityriasis versicolor (PV) patients (n = 18; Group 1) or from preterm infants BSI (n = 21; Group 2). All the teststains exhibited Pz activity whereas 92.3% and 97.4% of strains exhibited Lz and Hz activities, respectively. Pz, Lz and Hz activities were higher (i.e., lower values) within Group 1 strains (i.e., 0.48, 0.40 and 0.77) than those within Group 2 (i.e., 0.54, 0.54 and 0.81). The biofilm production was higher within Malassezia isolates from Group 2 (0.95 ±0.3) than from Group 1 (0.72±0.4). Itraconazole and posaconazole were the most active drugs against M. furfur, followed by amphotericin B and fluconazole. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values varied according to the origin of M. furfur strains being statistically lower in M. furfur from Group 1 than from Group 2. This study suggests that M. furfur strains produce hydrolytic enzymes and biofilm when causing PV and BSI. Data suggest that the phospholipase activity, biofilm production and a reduced antifungal susceptibility profile might favour M. furfur BSI, whereas lipase and haemolytic activities might display synergic role in skin infection. There is no information on the virulence factors of Malassezia furfur involved in invasive infections. Our data suggest that the phospholipase activity, biofilm production and a reduced antifungal susceptibility profile might favour M. furfur blood-stream infections.

Devrra triradiata Hochst. ex Boiss is an occasional plant species in the Northern region of Saudi Arabia. The shrub is favored on sandy desert wadis, gypsaceous substrate, and sandy gravel desert. In folk medicine, the plant is used for many purposes; to relieve stomach pains, against intestinal parasites, and for the regulation of menstruation. The present study describes the chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) of different plant parts of D. triradiata. In vivo and in vitro biological activities of plant extracts and essential oils were also studied. Phenylpropanoids, elemicin (flowers: 100%), dillapiole (Stems: 82.33%; and seeds: 82.61%), and apiol (roots: 72.16%) were identified as the major compounds. The highest antioxidant activity was recorded for the EOs of roots and stems (IC₅₀ = 0.282 µg/mL and 0.706 µg/mL, respectively). For plant extracts, ethyl acetate showed the highest antioxidant activities (IC₅₀ = 2.47 and 3.18 µg/mL). EOs showed high antifungal activity against yeasts with low azole susceptibilities (i.e., Malassezia spp. and Candida krusei). The MIC values of EOs ranged between 3.4 mg/mL and 56.4 mg/mL. The obtained results also showed phytotoxic potential of plant extracts both on the germination features of Triticum aestivum seeds and the vegetative growth of seedlings.