Anticandidal effects of aqueous and callus extracts of Artemisia aucheri

Abstract

The use of herbal products in the prevention of the growth of pathogens have been widely studied. Problems in the treatment of infections caused by resistant strains of fungi are indicator of the need for a more in-detailed study of herbal remedies. <em>Artemisia</em><em> aucheri</em> is used as a medicinal plant with anti-microbial properties, and as an astringent. Plant tissue culture is an important technique for the production of secondary metabolites. The aqueous and methanol extracts (AE and ME) were prepared from the resulting callus. In the agar well diffusion method in a concentration of 2500 mg/ml of AE, the growth inhibition zone diameter (IZD) of clinical isolates of <em>C.albicans</em> was greater than that of fluconazole and both standard strains of <em>C.albicans</em> (PTCC 1167 , 5027) was greater than the positive control. The results of the effect of AE showed that has the greatest effect on <em>C.albicans</em> 1167. The mean growth IZD of AE at the concentrations of 1000, 1500, and 2000 (mg ml^-1) were 5, 10, and 18 mm, respectively. Based on the results of this study, the concentration of 1000 (mg ml^-1) callus AE had no significant effect on any of the strains. The results of the anticandidal effect extracts showed that the ME has the greatest effect on the standard strains. The AE showed significant antifungal effects against the tested clinical isolates. The results obtained from the tube dilution method confirmed the above results. Different concentrations of extracts showed that with increasing concentration the anticandidal activity also increased.