The antifungal effects of citral, eugenol, nerolidol and α-terpineol on Trichophyton
mentagrophytes were investigated. Citral over 0.1 mg/ml strongly inhibited the hyphal
growth of T. mentagrophytes, and the antifungal activity of α-terpineol was less effective. The
morphological changes of the fungus exposed to the terpenes were observed by electron
microscopy. The hyphae were distorted and collapsed at 0.2, 0.4 and 1 mg/ml of eugenol,
nerolidol and α-terpineol respectively, and cell membrane and organelles were irreversibly …