In vitro evaluation of antifungal activity of some medicinal plants extracts against vaginal candidiasis (Candida albicans)

Abstract

Vaginal candidiasis is the most frequent infection of the female genital tract and is caused by the overgrowth of Candida albicans. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Candida albicans among vaginal candidiasis cases in Dhamar City, Yemen and to evaluation (in vitro) the effect of some different medicinal plants extracts : Ocimum basilicum , Camellia sinensis, Lawsonia inermis and ziziphus spina for their inhibitory effects against Candida albicans. Study was performed on 80 women attending Al-Amoma hospital, General Dhamar hospital and some of private clinics in Dhamar City, Yemen. All specimens were diagnosed clinically as vaginal candidiasis. The vaginal swab protocol was designed to collect the vaginal specimens and the isolates were identified according to a standard procedure and cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar. Ethanol and aqueous solvents were used for prepare the plants extracts and measured their activity by disc diffusion method. The results showed that C. albicans was susceptible to the different extracts, of which aqueous and ethanol extract in variation of inhibitory effects