Multifunctional Activity of Lippia gracilis Schauer Essential Oil Against Skin Infections

This study evaluates the antifungal activity of Lippia gracilis Schauer essential oil traditionally used in northeastern Brazil for the treatment of skin disorders. The essential oil isolated from fresh leaves collected in Ceará, Brazil, was chemically characterized by GC–MS, showing a thymol-dominant profile (37.52%), accompanied by p-cymene (12.13%), γ-terpinene (9.29%), and gurjunene (10.95%). Antifungal assays revealed significant activity against several dermatophyte species with MIC and MLC values ranging from 50 to 100 μg/mL. Biofilm assays against Epidermophyton floccosum demonstrated strong inhibitory effects by disrupting biofilm formation, altering fungal morphology, and promoting in vitro skin cells migration, while also showing effective preventive effects in an ex vitro nail infection model. These findings support the potential of L. gracilis essential oil as a multifunctional natural antifungal agent for the management of refractory dermatophytosis and onychomycosis, and provide scientific validation for its traditional use in skin infection treatment.