The Effect of Thyme and Peppermint Extracts on Some Species of Candida Yeast

Abstract

This study was conducted at College of Education (Pure Sciences), University of Diyala for the period from July/2010 until February/2011 to evaluate the inhibitory effects of extracts from thyme and peppermint against some species of Candida yeast. Alcoholic extract from Thyme at concentrations 100 and 20 mg/ml showed the highest inhibitory effects against Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata and C. krusie 100%, and the lowest inhibitory 75.53% for C.albicans. Alcoholic extract from Peppermint at 100 and 20 mg / mL in percentages 100% for yeast C.tropicalis,C.glabrata and the lowest 70.78% for C.albicans. where acetonic extract of thyme at concentrations 100 and 20 mg / ml in percentages 100% and 70.23% for C.krusie, then acetonic extract from peppermint at concentrations 100 and 20 mg / ml in percentage 100% for C.glabrata and 59.30% for C.albiacns. acetonic extract from Thyme and peppermint at concentrations 100 mg / ml and antifungal Nystatin 50µ/ml showed the same effective inhibition against yeast C.krusie ,C.albicans and C.glabrata, hot water extract from thyme at concentrations 100 and 20 mg / mL in percentage 97.91% and 67.50% for C.glabrata and C.tropicalis, Followed by hot water extract from Peppermint at concentrations 100 and 20 mg / mL in percentage 96.59%, and 62.19% for C.krusie and C.tropicalis.At last the cold water extract from thyme at concentrations 100 and 20 mg / ml in percentage 94.31% and 59.55% for C.albicans and C.krusi, Followed by cold water extract from Peppermint at concentrations 100 and 20 mg / ml in percentages 92.22% and 55.95% respectively, compared to the control treatment 0.0.

Keywords: Plants extracts, Yeasts and Antifungal