Comparison of anti-Candida activities of the ancient plants Lawsonia inermis and Ziziphus spina christi with antifungal drugs in Candida species isolated from oral cavity

Abstract

Context:Medicinal plants have reportedly fewer side effects, compared to antifungal agents.Aims:This study was designed to compare the anti-Candida activity of two medicinal plants with two routine antifungal agents, used in the clinics, on Candida species isolated from the oral cavity of the liver transplant patients.Subjects and Methods:Anti-Candida activities of ethanol extracts of Lawsonia inermis leaf and Ziziphus spina christi unripe and ripe fruit (collected from south of Iran) versus nystatin and fluconazole were evaluated using CLSI M27-A3 standard method.Results:The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 90 values for L. inermis, Ziziphus spina christi ripe, and unripe fruits in Candida albicans were 0.1 μg/mL, 25 μg/mL, and 0.1 μg/mL, and in Candida glabrata were 0.05 μg/mL, 25 μg/mL, and 0.05 μg/mL, respectively. The MIC90 value for nystatin in both species was 0.035 μg/mL, but MIC90 value for fluconazole in C. albicans was 0.5 μg/mL and in C. glabrata was 2 μg/mL.Conclusion:Unripe fruits of Ziziphus spina christi and L. inermis were found more effective than fluconazole on Candida species. Ziziphus spina christi unripe fruit and L. inermis leaf have potential anti-Candida activity and can be considered as a new mouthwash agent to prevent and treat Candida infections. Further studies regarding pharmacokinetics and toxicities of these extracts are needed for their use in humans.

Evaluation of the antifungal activity of Rumex vesicarius L. and Ziziphus spina-christi (L) Desf. Aqueous extracts and assessment of the morphological changes induced to certain myco-phytopathogens

“…stem bark showed an antifungal activity against fungal species, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Syncephalastrum racemosum and Geotricum candidum ( Ads et al, 2017 ) besides, the ethanol extracts of the Ziziphus sp. fruits were found to be effective against some Candida species ( Mardani et al, 2018 ). Controversially, another study showed that the petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, and aqueous extracts of the fruits, leaves, seeds, and stems of Ziziphus sp.…”

Antifungal effect of the bark and root extracts of Punica granatum on oral Candida strains isolated from liver recipients

“…Medicinal plants have been used for many years across the world for numerous diseases due to their low toxicity and ease of absorption, compared with synthetic drugs [15]. There are reports regarding the application of medicinal plants in dentistry [16, 17]. In this study, the methanolic, ethanolic, and aqueous extracts of P. granatum were compared because the type of extract is important in the different properties of the plants.…”

The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect of lawsone isolated from Lawsonia inermis

“…The pharmacological studies on Lawsonia inermis revealed antibacterial activity [6,7], antifungal [8,9], antiparasitic [10,11], molluscicidal [12], antioxidant [13,14], hepatoprotective [15,16], central nervous [17], analgesic [18,19], anti-inflammatory [20,21], antipyretic [18], wound [22,23] and burn healing [24], immuno-modulatory [25,26], anti-urolithiatic [27,28], antidiabetic and hypolipidemic [29,30], antiulcer [31], antidiarrhoeal [19] , diuretic [32], anticancer [33,34] and many other pharmacological effects.…”