Physicochemical Profiles and Antifungal Efficacy of Essential Oils from Citrus Sinensis and Citrus Aurantifolia
Ignace Sawadogo *
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST)/Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliquées et Technologies (IRSAT), Département Substances Naturelles, 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Delphine Mewéoami Hema
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST)/Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliquées et Technologies (IRSAT), Département Substances Naturelles, 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Abdou Rasmané Ouédraogo
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST)/Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliquées et Technologies (IRSAT), Département Substances Naturelles, 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Mahomed Toé
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST)/Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliquées et Technologies (IRSAT), Département Substances Naturelles, 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Idrissa Maiga
Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, BP 7021, Ouagadougou, 03, Burkina Faso.
Anass Coulibaly
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST)/Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliquées et Technologies (IRSAT), Département Substances Naturelles, 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Remy Kindaloun Bationo
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST)/Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliquées et Technologies (IRSAT), Département Substances Naturelles, 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Roger Honorat Charles Nébié
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST)/Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliquées et Technologies (IRSAT), Département Substances Naturelles, 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Citrus essential oils represent an important socio-economic resource due to their wide range of applications. This study investigated the physicochemical properties and antifungal activity of orange (Citrus sinensis) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia) essential oils (EO). Essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation of fruit peels, and physicochemical parameters including acid value, ester value, refractive index, and density were determined in accordance with ISO standards. Antifungal activity was evaluated against Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus using a broth microdilution assay to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs). Each assay was performed in triplicate. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism 5 software. Extraction yields were 0.90% for orange and 1.22% for lime. Citrus sinensis EO exhibited a low relative density (0.835), a refractive index of 1.467, a low acid value (2 mg KOH/g), and an ester value of 25 mg KOH/g. In contrast, Citrus aurantifolia EO was characterized by a slightly higher relative density (0.861), a lower refractive index (1.3949), a markedly higher acid value (11.11 mg KOH/g), and a higher ester value (30.05 mg KOH/g). The essential oil of C. aurantifolia demonstrated pronounced antifungal activity against A. flavus (MIC = 20 µL mL⁻¹; MFC = 25 µL mL⁻¹).
These findings indicate that citrus essential oils possess acceptable quality attributes and significant antifungal potential, highlighting their promising prospects for valorization across diverse industrial sectors. They could be valorized in food preservation due to their antifungal properties. They may also be incorporated into the development of cosmetic formulations.
Keywords: Essential oils, citrus, physicochemical parameters, antifungal properties