title: Activity of crude extracts from Brazilian cerrado plants against clinically relevant Candida species.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medicinal plants have traditionally been used in many parts of the world as alternative medicine. Many extracts and essential oils isolated from plants have disclosed biological activity, justifying the investigation of their potential antimicrobial activity. In this study, the in vitro antifungal activity of six Brazilian Cerrado medicinal plant species were evaluated against clinically relevant Candida species.
  
  
  METHODS
  The crude extract plants were evaluated against American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) standard strains of Candida spp. using disk diffusion method and determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The chemical study results were confirmed by HPLC method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All six plant species showed antifungal activity. Among the species studied, Eugenia dysenterica and Pouteria ramiflora showed significant inhibitory activity against C. tropicalis at lowest MIC value of 125 and 500 μg/disc, respectively. The Eugenia dysenterica also disclosed MIC value of 125 μg/disc against C. famata, 250 μg/disc against C. krusei and 500 μg/disc against C. guilliermondii and C. parapsilosis. Pouteria torta, Bauhinia rufa, Erythroxylum daphnites and Erythroxylum subrotundum showed activity against the yeast strains with MIC value of 1000 μg/disc. The chemical study of the most bioactive extracts of Eugenia dysenterica and Pouteria ramiflora revealed catechin derivatives and flavonoids as main components.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All six evaluated plant species showed good antifungal potential against several Candida strains. However, E .dysenterica and P. ramiflora showed the higher inhibitory effect against the non-albicans Candida species. Our results may contribute to the continuing search of new natural occurring products with antifungal activity.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, School of Medicine, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.|Central Public Health Laboratory of the District Federal (LACEN-DF), Medical Biology Management, Center of Parasitology and Mycology, CEP 70.830.010, Brasília, DF, Brazil.|Immunogenetic and Chronic-degenerative Diseases Laboratory, School of Medicine, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amabel Fernandes
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Natural Products, Faculty of Health Sciences, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dâmaris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Natural Products, Faculty of Health Sciences, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Yris Maria
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Fonseca-Bazzo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Natural Products, Faculty of Health Sciences, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pérola Oliveira
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Ceilândia Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 72.220.900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Christopher William
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Fagg
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Ceilândia Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 72.220.900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elton Clementino
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Institute of Biological Science, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Suelí Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, School of Medicine, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.|Immunogenetic and Chronic-degenerative Diseases Laboratory, School of Medicine, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lenora
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandolfi
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, School of Medicine, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.|Immunogenetic and Chronic-degenerative Diseases Laboratory, School of Medicine, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pratesi
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, School of Medicine, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil. yannanobrega@gmail.com.|Immunogenetic and Chronic-degenerative Diseases Laboratory, School of Medicine, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil. yannanobrega@gmail.com.|Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Darcy Ribeiro Campus, University of Brasília, CEP 70.900.910, Brasília, DF, Brazil. yannanobrega@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yanna Karla
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: de Medeiros Nóbrega
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects*; D000068856:Eugenia / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D032132:Pouteria / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antifungal; Candida spp; Crude plant extract; Medicinal plants