Anti Fungal Properties Of Selected Medicinal Plant Extracts Against Candida Species Isolated Form Clinical Samples

Abstract

newline Due to the widespread exploitation of broad-spectrum antibiotics and the implant devices, a newlinerapid increase in the fungal infection incidences have been observed. The most challenging newlineaspect in the treatment strategy is the resistance acquired by the causal organism. Naturally the newlinedispersion of antifungal drugs is blocked by the barriers that is Biofilms formed by these newlinepathogens. These biofilms makes them highly resistive to the antifungal agents. To overcome newlinethis issue of drug resistance, drugs with higher efficiency are the utmost priority. One such newlineapplication is applied by involvement of extracts from medicinal plants for novel drug newlineformulation. The present study aims on evaluating the antifungal potential of Allium sativum, newlineMentha piperita and Aloe vera extract against the notorious pathogen Candida albicans newlineresponsible for the genital tract infections. For this purpose, a total of 250 clinical samples of newlinemucosal swabs were collected for the isolation of Candida spp. Further the isolated species newlinewere characterized based on their biochemical nature followed by their molecular newlineidentification. The selected plants were used in the form the extracts prepared in ethanol, hot newlinewater and cold water for each. The antifungal activity of these extracts against all the isolates newlineof Candida spp. was evaluated via agar well diffusion. The GC-MS analysis was carried out newlinefor the extract with considerable antifungal activity to determine its compound profile. As per newlinethe results, out of 250 samples, Candida spp. was obtained from 200 samples and the newlineoverall number of isolates was up to 232 isolates of Candida spp. The molecular newlineidentification showed that, 132 isolates of Candida albicans, 33 isolates of Candida tropicalis, newline32 isolates of Candida glabrata, 20 isolates of Candida krusei and 15 isolates of Candida newlineparapsilosis were present overall. For the antifungal potential study, ethanolic extract from all newlinethree selected plants had the best antifungal activity, the zone of inhibition of them was