Browsing by Author "Ennison, Beatrice"

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    Efficacy of some traditional drugs on candida albicans
    (2000) Ennison, Beatrice
    The Fungus Candida albicans is a major cause of vulvovaginitis, a worrisome condition in most women irrespective of social status, age or race. Each of six plants namely Eugenia caryophyllus- Clove (CLV), Pimpinella anisum-Anise (ANS), Zingiber officinale-Ginger (GIN), Aframomum melegueta-Grains of Paradise (GOP), Piper guineense-West African Pepper (WAP) and Xylopia aetheopica-African Pepper (AFP) was investigated for its antimicrobial activity alone or in their varying combinations against C. albicans and other microorganisms. Methanolic extracts of samples proved to be more active against C. albicans than aqueous/methanolic extracts, and aqueous extracts the least active. While some of the drug extracts acted in varying degrees against the Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria and the fungus C. albicans, others proved inactive. Clove (CLV) proved to be the most active against all the organisms tested. Extracts of Clove maintained their activity over a specified storage period with less loss, (18.3% for aqueous and 8.8% for methanolic) compared to the other samples like Grains of Paradise (GOP) and West African Pepper(WAP) which had lost all activity by the third day. Combinations of samples in various proportions also showed that Clove was better used alone. The interaction among the oils of Clove, Anise, Ginger and Nystatin were mainly indifferent with no potentiation; however interaction between Anise and Ginger seemed antagonistic. Whereas Clove oil was fungicidal, Anise, and Ginger oils were fungistatic under the conditions of the experiment.