Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Allium hirtifolium and Allium sativumon growth inhibition of Candida tropicalis in a systemic candidiasis mouse model

Usually, antifungals such as fluconazole are used for the treatment of candidiasis, but one of the major clinical problems is the resistance of Candida species to antifungal agents. The search for antifungal agents derived from plants could help in solving this problem. This study evaluated theeffectsof Allium hirtifolium and Allium sativum extracts on Candida tropicalisboth in vitro and in a systemic candidiasis mouse model.In this cross-sectional study, ten clinical isolates of C. tropicalis were isolated and identified from immunocompromised patients. Antifungal susceptibilities and time-kill study of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of A. hirtifolium and A. sativum were carried out against C. tropicalis. The efficacy of A. hirtifolium and A. sativum extracts compared with fluconazole in alleviating systemic C. tropicalis infections was evaluated in vivo through a systemic candidiasis mouse model. The antifungal susceptibilities and time-kill study results revealed that the A. hirtifolium and A. sativum extracts were able to inhibit C. tropicalis growth(p < 0.05). Our results showed that treatments of BALB/c mice with A. hirtifolium and A. sativum (at 1 mg/kg/day) were slightly less efficacious than that of fluconazole in terms of the fungal burden reduction and host survival time, it was still effective against C. tropicalis. These results demonstrate the efficacy of anticandidal effects of A. hirtifolium and A. sativum extracts both in vitro and in an animal model of candidiasis and affirm the potential of A.hirtifolium and A. sativum extracts as an adjuvant therapy in the management of Candida infections.

کلیدواژه ها:

Allium hirtifolium ، Allium sativum ، Candida tropicalis ، Antifungals