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Monday 19 December 2016

Traditional Mediterranean plants: characterization and use of an essential oils mixture to treat Malassezia otitis externa in atopic dogs.

2016 Dec 5:1-4. [Epub ahead of print]


Author information

  • 1a Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie , Università degli Studi di Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
  • 2b Dipartimento di Farmacia , Università degli Studi di Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
  • 3c Scuola Cimi Koinè , Roma , Italy.

Abstract

Several plants extracts from Mediterranean countries are traditionally employed in skin troubles both in humans and in animals. Malassezia pachydermatis is a lipophylic yeast responsible for otitis externa and dermatitis in dogs and for cutaneous and systemic disease in humans. Five mixtures of essential oils obtained from Mediterranean plants (Citrus paradisi, Salvia sclarea, Ocimum basilicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Citrus limon, Anthemis nobilis, Lavandula hybrida and Thymus vulgaris) provided with antifungal and/or anti-inflammatory action assayed in vitro, were tested in vivo versus M. pachydermatis to treat once daily for 2 weeks 25 atopic dogs with Malassezia otitis externa. Mixture composed by C. limon 1%, S. sclarea 0,5%, R. officinalis 1%, A. nobilis 0,5% yielded excellent results in all treated dogs. Despite of clinical resolution after all treatments the number of blastospores did not decrease. This study confirms recent findings suggesting a multifactorial alternative approach for the management of canine Malassezia otitis.

KEYWORDS:

Essential oils; Malassezia; dog; mixtures; otitis externa; treatment