Abstract

Superficial candidiasis is a real public health problem, especially in immunocompromised people and HIV-infected patients. Due to the toxic handicap and the high cost of antifungal drug treatment, people use medicinal plants, which are relatively more accessible. Medicinal plants are an important source of novel antimicrobial agents. This study aims to determine the in vitro antimicrobial activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts from different parts of plants species against Candida albicans. Six plants species from the flora of Côte d’Ivoire were screened for anticandidal activities by ethnobotanical study. These plants species were: Bridelia ferruginea, Citrus aurantium, Pycnanthus angolensis, Desmodium adscendens, Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides Lam. and Mareya micrantha L. Methanolic and aqueous extracts from the powder of leaves and/or barks samples of each species were tested using the bioautographic method in F254 glass silica gel plate, with Miconazole as reference. Bioautography assay was used to account antifungal compounds in plant extracts. Bridelia ferruginea, Pycnanthus angolensis, and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides Lam showed good activity. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values against Candida albicans ranged between 12.5 and 100 mg/ml. Bioautography results demonstrated that active chemical compounds of the alcoholic extracts of the plants (flavonoids, alcaloids, polyterpenes, polyphenols and sterols) were responsible for antimicrobial activity. The Ivorian pharmacopoeia is full of medicinal remedies. Three plants of our study have shown a good activity on strains of Candida albicans.

Key words: Candida albicans, antifungal activity, plants, bioautography.