Anti-candidal properties of some traditionally used Cassia species

The present study was conducted to determine the anti-candidal efficacy of different solvent extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol) of leaves and seeds of four traditionally important Cassia species (Senna alata, Senna auriculata, Senna tora and Cassia fistula) against the six most prevalent species causing candidiasis viz., Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. guilliermondii and clinical strains of C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis. The extent of the inhibitory zone, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) were determined. The ethyl acetate extract of C. alata leaves showed the highest anti-candidal activity against all the tested strains than the other extracts tested. The highest activity was against Candida glabrata with mean zones of inhibition between 7.2 and 16.2 mm and the MIC and MFC values ranged from 4 to 32 mg mL⁻¹ and 8 and 64 mg mL⁻¹, followed by ethyl acetate extract of C. fistula seeds (15.7 ± 1.2 mm), methanol extract of S. tora seeds (15.7 ± 1.2 mm) and ethyl acetate extract of S. tora seeds (15.5 ± 0.9 mm). The present results may serve as a baseline data for the selection of plant species for further investigation in the latent discovery of new natural bioactive compounds