title: "Rhetoric to Reality"- Efficacy ofPunica GranatumPeel Extract on Oral Candidiasis: An in vitro Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Global usage of synthetic drugs inadvertently has resulted in deleterious effects and antimicrobial resistance. Phytoextarcts with therapeutic properties appear to be appropriate substitutes for synthetic drugs.Punica granatum(Pomegranate) is a fruit rich in nutraceuticals and therapeutic properties that has lead to its widespread use as folk-medicine for treating innumerable diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the in vitro antifungal efficacy ofPunica granatumpeel extract against the oralCandidacompared with clotrimazole.
  
  
  METHODS
  An in vitro study was carried out on 60 saliva samples collected from patients confirmed by clinical and mycological examination as oral candidiasis and subjected to culture on Saborauds Dextrose Agar (SDA) medium and incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. The culturedCandidaspecies were subjected to antifungal susceptibility test by agar well diffusion method.Punica granatumpeel extract (Group-I), Ethanol (Group-II Negative control), Clotrimazole (Group-III-Positive control) were inoculated in wells and incubated. Zones of inhibitions were measured with a digital Vernier's callipers and subjected to statistical analysis. ANOVA (analysis of variance) was performed to compare inhibition zones and concentrations of all the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antifungal efficacy ofPunica granatumgroup and Clotrimazole group were statistically significant with p-value <0.05. Additionally, with the increase in the concentration there was an increase in the inhibitory efficacy againstCandidaspecies. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of peel extract ofPunica granatumapproximated with that of the clotrimazole.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present research was just a venture to usual clinical approach. The results of the study reveal that MIC of peel extract ofPunica granatumapproximated with that of the clotrimazole. Hence, peel extract ofPunica granatummay be used as a substitute for antifungal agents in clinical trials with standardization so as to minimize the deleterious effects for patient compliance.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Vishnu Dental College , Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India .
authors.forename: Preethi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Madugula
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Vishnu Dental College , Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India .
authors.forename: Sudhakara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Vishnu Dental College , Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India .
authors.forename: Jyothirmai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koneru
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Quality Assurance, Shri Vishnu College of Pharmacy , Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India .
authors.forename: Atla Srinivasa
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Vishnu Dental College , Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India .
authors.forename: Rayapureddi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sruthi
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Vishnu Dental College , Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India .
authors.forename: Divya Teja
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Dalli
keywords: Antifungal potential; Candida species; Clotrimazole; Ethanol; Minimum inhibition concentration