Abstract

Increase in resistance of Candida species to conventional prescribed antifungal agents poses a challenge to health care. This calls for alternative therapies such as the use of antifungal plant extracts. Therefore, the objective of this study was to screen Sansevieria aethiopica(Thunberg.) leaf extracts for anti-fungal activity against Candida albicans. A microbroth dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and a biofilm enumeration assay was employed to determine the minimum biofilm inhibition concentrations (MBICs) and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBECs) of the extracts. Electron microscopy was used to determine the effects of the extracts on the ultrastructure of the biofilm of the test fungus. Acetone extract had the least effect on C. albicans ATCC 10231 with MIC of 3.125 mg/ml. For the extracts, the MBICs and MBECs were higher than the corresponding MICs. The MBEC: MIC and MBIC: MIC were 8: 1 and 2: 1, 4: 1 and 2: 1, and 8: 1 and 8: 1 for acetone, ethanolic and methanolic extracts, respectively. Extract treated cells showed change in the morphology of the cells. Extracts ofS. aethiopica were able to affect the proliferation of both planktonic and sessile cells of C. albicans. Isolation and elucidation of the bioactive ingredients and the effects of the active compound on C. albicans still warrants further investigation.

Key words: Candida albicans, Sansevieria aethiopica, planktonic, anti-candidal, scanning electron microscope, medicinal plants, extracts.