title: In vitro and in vivo antifungal activities of selected Cameroonian dietary spices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spices and herbs have been used in food since ancient times to give taste and flavor and also as food preservatives and disease remedies. In Cameroon, the use of spices and other aromatic plants as food flavoring is an integral part of dietary behavior, but relatively little is known about their antifungal potential.The present work was designed to assess the antifungal properties of extracts from spices used in Cameroonian dietary.
  
  
  METHODS
  The in vitro antifungal activities of twenty three extracts from twenty one spices were assessed by the broth micro-dilution method against eight fungi. Also, the in vivo activity of Olax subscorpioidea extract (the most active extract) was evaluated in rat model of disseminated candidiasis due to Candida albicans by estimating the fungal burden in blood and kidney.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven extracts (30%) exhibited moderate to significant antifungal activities, inhibiting the growth of the microorganisms at concentrations ranging from 0.048 to 0.39 mg/mL. Olax subscorpioidea extract exhibited the highest antifungal activity particularly against Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis (MIC of 0.097 mg/mL and 0.048 mg/mL respectively). Sixteen extracts (70%) were weakly active (MICs > 6.25 mg/mL). Oral administration of O. subscorpioidea extract at the dose 2 g/kg of body weight (bw) to artificially infected rats revealed a drop in the number of colony forming units per milliliter (cfu/mL) of Candida albicans cells in the blood below the detection limit (100 cfu/mL) while a modest decrease was observed in the kidney.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present work shows that some of the spices studied possess interesting antifungal properties and could be used to treat candidiasis. Among the plant species tested, Olax subscorpioidea displayed the most promising result.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P,O, Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. jpdzoyem@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Jean Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dzoyem
authors.forename: Roland T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Tchuenguem
authors.forename: Jules R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kuiate
authors.forename: Gerald N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Teke
authors.forename: Frederick A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Kechia
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kuete
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002163:Cameroon; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D031656:Olacaceae; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017365:Spices
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts