Abstract:
Drug resistant strains of Candida species have emerged due to increasing rate of Candida infections and use of available antifungal drugs for treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the potential therapeutic use of the spice nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) as an antifungal agent against local multi-drug resistant strains of Candida species. Efficacy of M. fragrans extracts against four Candida species; C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis were evaluated. The growth response of Candida species to aqueous and methanol extracts of M. fragrans was assessed by agar well diffusion method and poison food technique. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) of methanol extract of M. fragrans for multi-drug resistant strains of C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. glabrata isolated from patients with onychomycosis candidiasis and candidemia were determined by broth microdilution method. Ketoconazole was used as a positive control while water and methanol were used as negative controls. Methanol extract of M. fragrans was identified as the potent antifungal extract which exhibited fungicidal activity against tested species producing inhibition zones, while no inhibition zones were given by the aqueous extract. 100% growth inhibition was observed in all tested species grown in the medium containing methanol extract. MIC values for all strains were within the range from 0.31 to 2.50 mg/ml signifying all tested multi-drug resistant strains were susceptible to methanol extract. The present study reveals that M. fragrans possesses effective fungicidal properties and can be used as a promising agent for the development of a new antifungal drug.
