Evaluation of the Antifungal Effects of Compound Mouthwash (Cuminum cyminum, Melissa officinalis and Camellia sinensis) on Standard Strain of Candida albicans

Candida albicans (C. albicans) composes 25-75% of oral microflora in healthy individuals. Oral candidiasis is an opportunistic infection, which is caused by the presence of predisposing factors in host. In recent years, increase in the resistance of C. albicans to standard antifungal drugs resulted in special attention to herbal plants as alternative natural compounds. The anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties of Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum) and mouth aromatic property of Melissa officinalis (M. officinalis) have already been illustrated in Iranian traditional medicine. Also, the anti-fungal and anti-caries properties of Camellia sinensis (C. sinensis) were demonstrated in recent investigations. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-fungal effects of compound mouthwashes (C. cyminum, M. officinalis and C. sinensis) on standard strain of C. albicans. The essential oil from C. cyminum and the aquatic extracts of C. sinensis and M. officinalis were prepared using hydrodistillation and boiling methods, respectively. Subsequently, five different groups of compound mouthwashes containing various concentrations of C. cyminum essence and C. sinensis and M. officinalis extracts were categorized and used for antifungal susceptibility test. Anti-C. albicans effect of different kinds of compound mouthwashes was assayed by punched-whole method. Nystatin was used as the positive control drug. The data was analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey test (α=0.05). The mean values of growth inhibition diameter were 6.33 millimeter (mm) for aquatic extract of C. sinensis and 40.33 mm for essential oil of C. cyminum. No growth inhibition was observed by aquatic extract of M. officinalis after 48 h. The results of compound mouthwashes 1 to 5 showed that the mouthwash 5 was the most effective compound on C. albicans (P<0.001, F=184.911). C. cyminum essential oil and compound mouthwash 5 containing 40% C. cyminum essence, 33.34% C. sinensis extract and 26.66% M. officinalis extract had the highest efficacy in growth inhibiting of C. albicans and could be used as herbal mouthwash after once confirmed by clinical trials in the future.