Antifungal activity of propolis against dermatophytes and Candida albicans isolated from human mouth
Alaa Abdul-Hussein Al-Daamy, Haider Abd-Al Ameer, Hasan Zuher, Hussein Monather, Bashaer Ahmmed & Niesreen Kadhim
Objective: This study includes the investigation of antifungal activity of the local propolis against dermatophytes and yeast.
Methods: Two fungi belonging to dermatophytes, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. tonsurans, isolated from patients were tested. Six concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 mg/ml) of propolis extract were tested against these two fungal pathogens. Clotrimazole was used as control with 2 mg/ml concentration. So, five oral Candida albicans isolates were extracted from patients, these isolates were given numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Seven concentrations (0.5, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mg/ml) of propolis extract were tested against C. albicans isolates.
Results: The results revealed presence of significant difference (P < 0.05) in the effect of propolis extract against two dermatophytes of the current study. T. tonsurans was more sensitive to propolis extract terms, the percentage of inhibition being 100% in each of the concentrations (10, 15, 20, 25 mg/ml), whereas it showed 72.4% at 5 mg/ml concentration. T. mentagrophytes did not show complete inhibition percentage which gave a high percentage, 94.2% with 25 mg/ml concentration. Additionally, results revealed presence of significant difference (P < 0.05) in the effect of propolis extract against C. albicans isolates of this study. C. albicans 1 isolate was the most effective isolate among the others toward propolis extract. Results of this study also showed increasing inhibition zone if the concentration of propolis extract was increased.
Conclusion: The local propolis that was collected from the apiaries of holy Karbala province has antifungal activity against T. mentagrophytes, T. tonsurans and C. albicans isolates.
