Antifungal Potential of Some Nigerian Indigenous Plants: A Remedy for Candidiasis

Background: Invasive candidiasis has been recognized as a major cause of mortality and morbidity in hospital settings across the globe. Aside from C. albicans, other Candida species (C. glabarata, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis) associated with invasive candidiasis have been reported as a public health challenge.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activities of extracts of some indigenous plants using the agar disc diffusion method.

Methods: Fresh samples of the plant parts were collected, identified, air dried, pulverized and extracted using standard methods. The extracts were screened against clinical isolates of C. albicans, C. glabarata, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis using agar disc diffusion method.

Results: All plant extracts exhibited varying inhibition zones ranging from 8.0 - 24.0 mm against the tested isolates. Fractions of Acalypha wilkesiana Macrophylla (AWRF5) showed the lowest activities against all the test isolates with zones of inhibition ranging from 10.0-13.0 mm while AWRF6 fraction of the same plant demonstrated highest antifungal activities against all the test isolates with zones of inhibition ranging from 14.0-24 mm followed by fractions of Acalypha wilkesiana Hoffmanii (AWGF6), which demonstrated high (14.0 - 20.0 mm) antifungal activities.

Conclusion: The Plants understudied possessed antifungal potentials and can serve as lead in the development of phytomedicines to combat candidiasis decrease medical as well as financial burden, hence improving the management of cirrhotic patients. These predictors, however, need further work to validate reliability.