Investigation of the antimycotic properties of natural medicines

Objective

To investigate in vitro the ability of natural healthcare products to inhibit fungi pathogenic to humans.

Fungal infections are important causes of systemic disease in immunocompromised patients. In immuno-competent subjects, they are considered superficial, but may be psychologically devastating. Antifungal pharmaceuticals have varying efficacy, and often, undesirable toxicity. The development of ‘natural’ treatments/prophylaxis would offer alternatives where such drugs are contraindicated or refused.

Materials and methods

Two Trichophyton species, two Aspergillus species and Candida albicans were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). Following a single exposure to each of the products at various dilutions, and to suitable controls, for selected periods, equivalent inocula were transferred to fresh SDA plates, sealed with gas-permeable tape, and incubated at 28 °C. The percentage inhibition of the fungal species by the products was calculated using an established method.

Results

Two notable products, Molkosan (a product of fermented whey) and Spilanthes (paracress) gave 100% inhibition against Trichophyton species 18 days following a single exposure to the product. Both of these demonstrated inhibition of Candida albicans (day 2 post-exposure) of over 70%.

Inhibition of the Aspergillus species (day 5 post-exposure) was 0% for Aspergillus fumigatus and 56% for Aspergillus niger with Molkosan, and 91% for A. fumigatus and 71% for A. niger with Spilanthes.

Conclusion

Some of the natural medicines tested are promising candidate antifungal agents. Further investigation is necessary to determine minimum inhibitory and minimum fungicidal concentrations, along with ex vivo and in vivo studies of the efficacy of these substances against fungi within human tissue.