Abstract:
Dermatophytes are the major cause of superficial mycosis that are ability to invade keratinize tissue
and cause dermatophytosis, the most common human and animals contagious fungal disease.
Trichophyton mentagrophytesATCC R4608300 and Microsporum canis are among the fungi causing
dermatophytosis. Natural product with antifungal activity become necessary to overcome difficulties
on treatment of these infections. This study aimed to determine the ability of tea tree essential oil to
inhibit dermatophyte fungi. The antifungal screening was performed by well diffusion method. The
result showed tea tree essential oil concentration (1%, 3%, 5%) were weak categorization against T.
mentagrophytes ATCC R4608300 and M. canis while the 0.1% concentration of tea tree essential oil
did not show any inhibition. Ketoconazole as a positive control had moderate inhibition against the
fungi.
