title: Antimicrobial activity of plant extracts on Candida albicans: an in vitro study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Plants as sources of medicinal compounds have continued to play a predominant role in the maintenance of human health since ancient times. Even though several effective antifungal agents are available for oral candida infections, the failure is not uncommon because isolates of Candida albicans may exhibits resistance to the drug during therapy. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of few plant extracts on Candida albicans. An additional objective was to identify an alternative, inexpensive, simple, and effective method of preventing and controlling Candida albicans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fine texture powder or paste form of leaves was soaked in sterile distilled water and 100% ethyl alcohol, which were kept in refrigerator at 4°C for 24 h. Then filtrates were prepared and kept in a hot air oven to get a black shining crystal powder/paste form. Stock solutions of plant extracts were inoculated on petri plates containing species of Candida albicans and incubated at 25 ± 2°C for 72 h.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alcoholic curry leaves showed the maximum zone of inhibition on Candida albicans followed by aqueous tea leaves. The other plant extracts like alcoholic onion leaves, alcoholic tea leaves, alcoholic onion bulb, alcoholic aloe vera, and alcoholic mint leaves also inhibited the growth of Candida albicans but lesser extent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study renders few medicinal plants as an alternative medicines to the field of dentistry which can be used adjunct to conventional therapy of oral candidasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Teerthanker Mahaveer Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Bagarpur, Delhi Road, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sunitha Jagalur
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Doddanna
authors.forename: Shilpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Madhusudan Astekar
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sundarrao
authors.forename: Ravindra Setru
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Veerabhadrappa
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts