AROMATIC PLANTS AS ANTIFUNGAL AGENTS AGAINST ORAL CANDIDA STRAINS

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Abstract
Introduction. The increasing resistance of Candida species to conventional antifungal agents necessitates the development of alternative therapies, especially in dentistry. This study aims to assess the antifungal activity of hydroethanolic extracts from aromatic plants against Candida albicans and non-albicans species isolated from oral mucosal swabs of patients with oral candidiasis. Methods. Thirteen plant extracts—laurel (Laurus nobilis L.), dwarf rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), cinnamon bark (Ceylon Cinnamon) (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.), wild marjoram (Oregano) (Origanum vulgare L.), tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.), black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.), and chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.)—were prepared using 90% ethanol and tested against five clinical Candida strains (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. lusitaniae, C. kefyr, C. lipolytica) using the agar diffusion method. Fluconazole, chlorhexidine, decamethoxine, Stomatophyte, and Recutan served as control agents. Results. Fluconazole showed the highest activity against all Candida spp. Among plant extracts, nutmeg and coriander were comparable to fluconazole in their activity against C. tropicalis. Creeping thyme and chili pepper exhibited broad-spectrum moderate activity against multiple strains, occasionally matching or surpassing the efficacy of decamethoxine and chlorhexidine. No plant extract demonstrated sufficient activity against C. lusitaniae. Conclusions. A preliminary in vitro assessment of plant extracts, particularly nutmeg, coriander, creeping thyme, and chili pepper, showed promising antifungal activity against this limited panel of clinical isolates.

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