A comparison between antifungal effect of Fumaria officinalis, Echinacea angustifolia, vinegar, and fluconazole against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata isolated from vagina candidiasis

Vulvovaginal candidiasis is an annoying disease among women caused mainly by Candida albicans (C. albicans) and Candida glabrata (C. glabrata). This study was performed with aim to evaluate the antifungal effect of apple vinegar، grape vinegar، and date vinegar، methanol extract of Fumaria officinalis (shahtareh)، and methanol extract of Echinacea angustifolia (sarkhar gol) compared to fluconazole to prevent Candida albicans and Candida glabrata isolated from vagina candidiasis. This cross-sectional study was performed on 49 samples of vaginal dischargeof women with positive Vulvovaginal who had not respond to fluconazole at Tehran Mahdieh Hospital in 2013. Among these 49 samples، 13 cases of candida albicans and glabrata were diagnosed and isolated. Extracts of plants were obtained by maceration method. Agar well diffusion was performed to determine inhibition zone (halo) diameter; Candida albicans and Candida glabrata susceptibility or resistance against prepared plant compounds were examined. Data was analyzed by SPSS software (version 16) using Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney tests. Fluconazole had larger inhibition zone compared to studied organic compounds. However، apple and grape vinegars had significant effect among natural compounds. Other compounds had no significant effect. Medical plants and vinegars had smaller inhibition zone than fluconazole، had no serious side-effects، and impose very less cost. Moreover، no definite method has been known to reliably evaluate the plants considering to inhibition zone (halo) diameter