Analysis and in vitro anti-Candida antifungal activity of Cuminum cyminum and Salvadora persica herbs extracts against pathogenic Candida strains

Objective: The in vitro antifungal activities of essential oil from Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum) and alcoholic extract from Salvadora persica (S. persica) were investigated in order to evaluate their efficacy against C. albicans ATCC 14053, C. dubliniensis ATCC CD60, C. glabrata ATCC 90030, C. krusei ATCC 6258 and C. parapsilosis ATCC 22019.

Methods: The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The disc diffusion and broth macrodilution methods were used as antifungal susceptibility tests.

Results: The GC/MS analysis allowed 17 components to be determined; the main constituents of C. cyminum essential oil were α-pinene (30%), limonene (21%) and 1,8-cineole (18.5%). C. cyminum oil had a broad-spectrum antifungal activity against different pathogenic Candida species. Inhibition zone values ranged from 7 to 50mm for C. cyminum and 0 to 10mm for S. persica against the organisms tested. The best minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of C. cyminum oil was associated with C. albicans and C. dubliniensis (289 mg/L) and the MICs of S. persica extract were 4.9 mg/mL and 20mg/mL against C. albicans and C. dubliniensis, respectively.

Conclusion: The results suggested the potential substitution of the antifungal chemicals by C. cyminum essential oil and S. persica alcoholic extract as natural inhibitors to control the growth of the most important pathogenic Candida species and alternative therapies for candidiasis.