Antidermatophytal Effects of the Ointment, Gel and Methanolic Extract Solution of Myrtus communis on Guinea Pigs

There are many reports about the antimicrobial and the antifungal effects of Myrtal extract. This comparative and experimental study was carried out to investigate the effects of Myrtus communis extract on 3 species, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis and Microsporum gypseum versus clotrimazole in guinea pigs. in this experimental study, ninthy three guinea pigs (450g body weight) were divided into 27 groups and inoculated with T. mentagrophytes, M. canis and M. gypseum. After the appearance of infection's symptoms, the infected animals in different groups, were treated with the 1%, 2% and 5% of gel, ointment or, the methanolic extract solution of Myrtus communis. One precent Clotrimazole was used for the positive control groups. Guinea pigs which were contaminated with M.canis did not show any signs of recovery after treatment with ointment in contrast to the solution and the gel (p<0.01). The best results of improvement were observed in the cases infected with T. mentagrophytes but not against M. gypseum. There were no significant differences among myrtal concentrations against T. mentagrophytes. Overall, evaluating the results indicated that the effects of myrtal extracts on the anthropophilic and geophilic dermatophytes on the animal models were much better than 1% clotrimazole, although the animal model is very resistant to this ointment.