Antimicrobial effect of ten herbal extracts on Candida albicans

Objective:

Use of mouthwashes has increased because of scientific advances and attention to oral hygiene. Herbal mouthwashes have fewer side effects and are more economical than similar chemical drugs; therefore, they have drawn a lot of attention in recent years.

  In this study we compared antifungal effects of ten herbal extracts on Candida albicans with nystatin and chlorhexidine.

Methods:

 Thirty grams of ten plants, including thyme, mint, garlic, cinnamon, chamomile, tea tree, clove, spearmint, sage and rosemary were solved in 100- milliliters of pure methanol and placed on a shaker for 24 hours. Then, after passing the solutions through a filter, they were put in an incubator at 37^°C for 48 hours to produce 10- milliliter concentrates.

 Candida albicans was cultured on Sabouraud's agar and plant extract discs, and nystatin and chlorhexidine discs were used as positive controls; methanol and empty discs were used as negative controls.

After 24 hours, diameters of halos indicative of lack of growth in each disc were measured with a pair of calipers.

 Tests were repeated 10 times for each plant.

 Halos indicative of lack of growth of each plant were compared with nystatin and chlorhexidine using T test analysis.

Results:

 Results indicated that garlic, cinnamon, chamomile, clove, sage, thyme had antifungal activity. Antifungal effect of cinnamon and sage was similar to chlorhexidine and this effect of chamomile, garlic and clove was better than chlorhexidine. No herbal extract had significant antifungal effect comparable with nystatin.

 Conclusion:

 This study demonstrated that garlic, cinnamon, chamomile, clove, sage, thyme extracts have inhibitory effects on Candida albicans and these plants can be used in the production of herbal mouthwashes.