The essential oil of the aerial part (leaves, flowers and stem) of Chenopodium ambrosioides was obtained by hydrodistillation and its chemical composition analyzed by GC and GC/MS, which permitted the identification of 14 components, representing 98.8% of the total oil. Major components were α-terpinene (51.3%), p-cymene (23.4%) and p-mentha-1,8-diène (15.3%). The antifungal properties of this essential oil were investigated in vitro by the well diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The in vitro antifungal activity was concentration dependent and minimum inhibitory concentration values varied from 0.25 to 2 mg/mL. The in vivo antifungal activity was evaluated on an induced vaginal candidiasis rat model. The in vivo activity of the oil on mice vaginal candidiasis was not dose-dependent. Indeed, all the three tested doses; 0.1%, 1% and 10% led to the recovery of mice from the induced infection after 12 days of treatment. The effect of the essential oil on C. albicans ATCC 1663 fatty acid profile was studied. This oil has a relatively important dose-dependent effect on the fatty acids profile.

Summary The present study evaluated the effect of the aqueous extract from leaves of E. speciosa on some physiological and biochemical parameters of reproduction and the onset of puberty in pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG)-primed immature female rats. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantify the phenolic compounds in the methanol/methylene chloride (1:1) extract, the ethanolic and ethyl acetate fractions and the aqueous residue of E. speciosa. E. speciosa (0, 8, 32 or 64 mg/kg) were administered for 15 days to 24 non-PMSG-primed and 24 primed rats with 0.01 IU of PMSG. At the end of the treatment period, animal were sacrificed and their body, ovarian, uterine weight, ovarian protein or cholesterol level, as well as data on puberty onset were recorded. Of the 16 polyphenolic compounds quantitatively revealed in the extracts and fractions of E. speciosa after HPLC analysis, quercetin, rutin, apigenin and eugenol were the most abundant. Non-primed rats showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the uterine relative weight at the dose of 8 mg/kg when compared with the other treatments. The uterine proteins and the ovarian cholesterol (P < 0.05), respectively, showed a reduction at doses of 64 mg/kg and 32 mg/kg in non-primed rats. However in PMSG-primed rats, a significant decrease (P < 0.05) was observed in ovarian cholesterol at 64 mg/kg. In conclusion, E. speciosa potentializes the PMSG-inducing effect on folliculogenesis in PMSG-primed rats.