Anti-candidal activity of Astragalus verus in the in vitro and in vivo guinea pig models of cutaneous and systemic candidiasis

Abstract

This study was design to evaluate the anti-candidal activity of Astragalus verus Olivier, Fabaceae (Av). The GC/MS analysis of essential oils of Av showed that aqueous extract contains thymol while hexadecanoic acid, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, diisooctyl ester and phytol were found as major components of methanol and acetone extracts. The aqueous extract showed anti-candidal activity in the concentration 320 mg/mL using disc diffusion method and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 160 mg/mL. To induce cutaneous candidiasis, the dorsum of immunocompromised guinea pigs was infected with Candida albicans and animals were divided into five groups (n=5 for each): NC, received a vehicle; PC, received topical ketoconazole 2% and three other groups which received topical 10, 20 and 40% aqueous extract of Av. On ninth day postinfection, skins were cultured and colony forming unite per gram (CFU/g) skin was recorded. Systemic candidiasis was obtained by intravenous inoculation of C. albicans, 4000 CFU/g body weight. Here, animals have been divided into five groups like cutaneous candidiasis but their medications have been delivered in drinking water for ten days before induction of infection. On second day postinfection, all internal tissues were taken for determining CFU/g tissue. The aqueous extract (40%) prevented heavy burden of C. albicans in tissues and skin in oral and topical application, respectively. The results indicate that Av represents a potential source of anti-candidal drug.

Assessment of Antidermatophytic Activities of <i>Urtica dioica</i> L against <i>Microsporum canis</i> in a Guinea Pig Model

“…Guinea pigs have been used as models to determine the mechanisms by which various zoophilic dermatophytes influence skin physiology and evaluate the efficacy of antifungal therapeutic agents [7,8]. In the present study, M. canis exhibited clinical signs of tinea corporis in untreated control guinea pigs on 3 or 4 days post-inoculation that manifested themselves in erythema, swelling, and scaling, that reached maximum infective appearance between 7th and 8th day post-inoculation.…”

“…In this regard, searching antifungal phytomedicines in plants is an important step in the quest for safer drugs or formulations. Our laboratory is involved in studying antifungal herbal remedies that abound in the huge heritage of Kurdish ethnomedicine [7]. The present study was designed to find evidences about the traditional usage of SN in dermatological problems in Kurdish ethnomedicine.…”

“…The inocula were prepared spectrophotometrically to give a final concentration of 1.0 × 10 6 CFU ml -1 in NS as described in our previous study [7]. Briefly, the resulting inocula were swabbed in the amount of 1 ml.cm -2 over the surface of SDA plates.…”

“…The tests were carried out in triplicate. The diameters of the inhibition zones around the disks were measured daily for 4 weeks on the underside of the Petri dish using vernier calipers [7].…”

“…The total score for any group denotes the average clinical score from the different animals in the same group. The severity of dermatophytosis also was numerically scored according to our previous study [7] as follows: 0, none or cure of the lesion; 1, insignificant; 2, slight; 3, moderate and 4, severe.…”