Assessment on therapeutic effects of water extract of garlic on experimental cutaneous candidiasis in goats

Many therapeutic effects have been known for garlic, so far. It has been used for health and treatment of various diseases in Iranian traditional medicine. This study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effects of water extract of garlic on experimental cutaneous candidiasis in goats. In this study four 8-month-old goats were used. After weakening the immune system, each animal were inoculated in four points with 0.1 ml of Candida albicans suspension (2.5×106 cells/ml) intracutaneously (A: Right side of the chest for treatment with garlic extract, B: Left side of the chest for nystatin treatment, C: Right flank for treatment with distilled water, and D: Left flank without treatment). Histopathological finding were identified as, cutaneous swelling, vesicles formation, redness and scaling of the skin, four days after Candida albicans inoculation. Clinical signs of cutaneous candidiasis were completely recovered, after the administration of garlic extract for 5 days and nystatin for 7 days. Cutaneous injuries created in non-treated and distilled water-treated groups opened to the skin surface and creamy secretions released. The results of this study showed that water extract of garlic can repair cutaneous candidiasis lesions in a shorter time period compared to nystatin in goat.