## 5 Biological Activities
### C. lusitanica  
#### 5.6.1 Essential Oil  
The essential oil from the leaves and the cones of this species collected in Cameroon shows a dose-dependent anti-dermatophytic activity on _Microsporum audouinitii_ (cp22), _Microsporum langerouiti_ (cp46), _Trichophyton rubrum_ (cp21) and _Trichophyton metargophytes_ (cp38). In addition, the leaf essential oil highly prevents the growth of _Microsporum audouinitii_ (cp22), _Microsporum langerouiti_ (cp46), _Trichophyton rubrum_ (cp21) at the doses of 500 and 1000 \(\mu\)g/mL. At the dose of 500 \(\mu\)g/mL, it also shows fungicidal effect while at the dose of 275 \(\mu\)g/mL, it is fungistatic [81]. The essential oil from the leaves collected in Costa Rica exerts good antibacterial and antifungal effects against _Bacillus cereus_ ATCC14579 and _Aspergillus niger_ ATCC1688 with MIC values equal to 78 \(\mu\)g/mL both [84]. The essential oil from the cones collected in India shows moderate antibacterial effects on _Staphylococcus aureus_, _Bacillus subtilis_, _Escherichia coli_ and _Salmonella tybi_ with MIC values above 125 \(\mu\)g/mLAmoxycilin trihydrate show much lower MIC values (3.125, 6.25, 6.25 and 50, respectively). The same essential oil also has moderate antifungal effects on _Candida albicans_ and _Candida neoformans_ with MIC values of 250 \(\upmu\)g/mL, compared to Amphotericin B which has much lower MIC values (12.5 and 6.25, respectively). This essential oil also has a big effect on excision wound with infection with a percentage of wound contraction after 8 days from incision of 51.0% and after 12 days of 84.4%. The healing is characterized by deposition of collagen fibers and maturation of fibrous connective tissues with no hair follicles in the healed area and with a big keratinization of grown epidermis [170]. The essential oil from its leaves collected in Brazil showed moderate activity against the growth of its endophytic fungi associated _Xylaria_ sp1 (MIC = 500 ppm), _Guignardia_ sp. and _Xylaria_ sp2 (MIC = 250 ppm) [87]. The essential oil from the leaves of this species collected in Cameroon exhibits good concentration dependent effects against _Escherichia coli_ ATCC 11775, _Klebsiella pneumoniae_ ATCC 13883, _Proteus mirabilis_, _Pseudomonas aeruginosa_ ATCC 27853, _Salmonella typhi_ ATCC 6539, _Shigella flexneri_, _Enterococcus faecalis_ ATCC 10541, _Staphylococcus aureus_ ATCC 25922, _Candida albicans_ ATCC 9002, _Candida glabrata_ CIPA 35, _Candida brucei_ ATCC 6258, _Candida lusitaniae_ ATCC 200950, _Candida paralisosis_ ATCC 22019, _Candida tropicalis_ ATCC 750 with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 6 to 18 mm [87]. The essential oil from whole plant, leaf and cone extracts of this species collected in Cameroon exert very poor effect against _Salmonella typhi_ ATCC 6539 with MIC values above 2048 mg/mL [156]. The leaf essential oil of this species collected in Kenya is a strong insect pest contact toxicant depending on the insect species, duration of exposure and concentration according to the instant toxicity assay. In particular, it is highly toxic on _Sitotroga cerealella_ and _Acanthosecilides obtetcus_ with LC\({}_{50}\) values of 0.05 and 0.11% _v/w_ after 24 h from contact, respectively, and less toxic on _Tribolium castaneum_ and _Sitophilus zeamais_ with LC\({}_{50}\) values of 0.11 and 0.13% _v/w_ after 168 h from contact, respectively. The same essential oil is also a very good space fumigant with LC\({}_{50}\) values of 4.08 and 4.71 \(\upmu\)L/L air against _A. obtetcus_ and _S. cerevisiae_, respectively, 24 h post fumigation and LC\({}_{50}\) values of 13.54 and 15.28 \(\upmu\)L/L air against _S. zeamais_ and _T. castaneum_, respectively, 168 h post fumigation. This essential oil is also a strong repellent to _T. castaneum_ at 0.20% _v/w_ with a value of 92.5% and decreases the PR values also for _A. obtetcus_, _S. cerevisiae_ and _S. zeamais_, 24 h after exposure [88].