Anticandidal effect of the extracts from melilotus officinalis and aristolochia clematitis

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the anticandidal effects of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of
Melilotus officinalis (sweet clover) and Aristolochia clematitis (birthwort) against selected isolates of 9
Candida species. The aerial parts of the plants were collected in Romania. Anticandidal activities of aqueous
and ethanolic extracts were tested by microtiter broth dilution method against isolates of C. inconspicua, C.
pulcherrima, C. guilliermondii, C. albicans, C. krusei, C. lusitaniae, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C.
methapsilosis and C. ortopsilosis. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of sweet clover showed broad spectrum
anticandidal activity and inhibited the growth of most tested yeast strains. From the species tested, the
isolates of C. guilliermondii and C. parapsilosis were the most sensitive. Extracts of birthwort showed no
growth reduction effect on some Candida species: growth of C. krusei, C. lusitaniae and C. glabrata was
even enhanced by these extracts, and aqueous extract had also a growth supporting effect on C. albicans.