Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Qum (Mar 2021)
Antifungal Evaluation of Aqueous and Ethanolic Extract of Iranian Dandelion Root, Compared With Fluconazole and Nystatin
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Dandelion (Taraxacum sp) is among the valuable medicinal plants; its antifungal properties have been proven. However, no study investigated the antifungal effects of Taraxacum perigynium, a native species of Iran. This study compared the effects of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of dandelion root on three species of Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, and Trichophyton rubrum with fluconazole and nystatin, as antifungal drugs. Methods In this study, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Iranian dandelion root were prepared. To evaluate the antifungal effects of dandelion root extracts and two standard antifungal drugs, fluconazole and nystatin, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was recorded by evaluating the growth rate of fungi using broth microdilution method, according to the light absorption obtained from the spectrophotometer. Eventually, the obtained data were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results The present research results suggested that dandelion root ethanolic extract presented inhibitory properties on all 3 studied fungal strains. The obtained data indicated the highest inhibitory effects on Candida albicans with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 150 µg/mL. The aqueous extract of dandelion root provided no antifungal effect. Fluconazole and nystatin presented a greater antifungal effect than the ethanolic extract of dandelion root in all 3 fungal strains. Conclusion Due to various therapeutic effects and no significant adverse effects, dandelion root can be used as an adjunct therapy in the treatment and control of various fungal infections. Therefore, it is suggested to identify and isolate the compounds in Taraxacum peregrinium and other species of dandelion native to Iran. It is also recommended to evaluate the identified components concerning antifungal properties.
