Inhibitory Effect of Nepeta Crispa L. and Nepeta Cataria Extracts on CandidaAlbicans Growth: An In-vitro Study

Considering the existence of many medicinal plants in Iran and the high prevalenceof oral candidiasis, the present study aims to evaluate the inhibitory effects of Nepeta crispa L.and Nepeta cataria extracts on Candida albicans growth.

After preparing the extracts of two plants, their minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) and minimum lethal concentration (MLC) for C albicans were measured by broth microdilutionmethod. The inhibitory effect of the extracts was evaluated by the disk diffusion method and measuringthe diameter of inhibition zone. Data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 22. The significant levelwas set at 0.05.

The MIC of N. crispa L. and N. cataria extracts was 1.1 and 2.4 μg/mL, respectively. Their MLC was4 and 6 μg/mL, respectively. The highest inhibition zone diameter was for nystatin (21.31 mm), while thelowest diameter was for N. cataria extract (11.60 mm). No. significant difference was observed in theinhibition zone diameter between nystatin and N. crispa L. extract (P>0.05).

The inhibitory effect of N. crispa L. extract on the candida albicans growth is not significantlydifferent from the effect of nystatin. Although N. cataria extract has inhibitory effect, its effect is significantlylower than the effect of nystatin.