Treatment of systemic candidiasis in rats with water extract of thymus vulgaris l.

Abstract EN

-Water extract of leaves from Thymus vulgaris L.was tested in vitro for its antifungal activity against pathogenic Candida albicans, using well diffusion method.

Extract of T.

vulgaris revealed a potent antifungal activity against C.

albicans at 20% concentration.

An experimentally–disseminated candidiasis was induced into a group of BALB / c rats by intravenous inoculum of C.

albicans (0.2 ml of 3×105 cell / ml) and observations were made and recorded for a period of 30 days.

Shivering, dullness ataxia with a progressive decrease in body weight were observed in all the infected rats.

White nodular abscesses were seen in kidney after 3 days of injection.

Treatment of infected rats with the plant extract (0.5 ml administered orally for 14 days) caused an increase in the weights of the rats when compared with control animals.