ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF BOSWELLIA SERRATA ESSENTIAL OIL AGAINST FLUCONAZOLE-RESISTANT AND SUSCEPTIBLE ISOLATES OF CANDIDA ALBICANS

Abstract

Introduction Candidiasis as an opportunistic infection is created by some species of Candida. Here the role of Candida albicans is more noticeable than other species. Candida can cause an extended spectrum of symptoms. Due to the increasing consumption of immunosuppressants including corticosteroids and diseases like diabetes, candidiasis has drawn more attention than before. Methods Considering the side-effects of antifungal chemical drugs and their high cost, we used the essential oil of Boswellia serrata against the isolates of Candida which are sensitive and resistant to fluconazole. Of 50 samples used in this study, twenty-five were sensitive and twenty-five were resistant to the fluconazole. Different concentrations of Boswellia serrata essential oil were prepared in microplates. One-thousand Candida albicans yeast cells were added to each well and after 24 hours of incubation, the number of Candida cells in each well was counted. Results In the group of sensitive isolates, 3, 7, 7, and 8 did not grow up to dilutions of 1/32nd, 1/64 th, 1/128th, and 1/256 th, respectively. In group of resistant isolates, 1, 6, 8, and 10 isolates did not grow up to dilutions of 1/32nd, 1/64th,, 1/128th, and 1/256th., respectively. Conclusions The essential oil of Boswellia serrata displayed an inhibiting effect on all Candida albicans isolates in-vitro; hence we recommend the investigation of its antifungal properties in vivo. Keywords Candida albicans, Fluconazole, Antifungal activity, Boswellia serrata.