Ethnobotanical survey and anti-candidal activity of plant species used for oral candidiasis

Background: Oral candidiasis is caused by Candida albicans, which is most prevalent in immunocompromised patients.Aim: The study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of plant species used for oral candidiasis against C. albicans.Setting: The study was conducted in Aganang Local Municipality, Capricorn District, Limpopo province, South Africa.Methods: A survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire supplemented with guided field walks with traditional health practitioners to gather information on medicinal plants used to treat oral candidiasis. Nine plant species (Artemisia afra Jacq. ex Willd., Blepharis subvolubilis subsp. subvolubilis C.B. Clarke, Enicostemma axillare [Lam.], Helichrysum caespititium [DC.] Harv., Solanum incanum L., Waltheria indica L., Ximenia caffra Sond. var. caffra, Ximenia caffra Sond. var. natalensis and Ziziphus mucronata Willd.) were investigated for antifungal activity. The plant material were extracted with solvents of varying polarities: acetone, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, hexane, methanol, and water. The Micro-dilution and bioautography assays were used to determine the antifungal activity of the plant extracts.Results: Leaf extracts of A. afra and S. incanum were more active against C. albicans with MIC values of 0.02 mg/mL. Bioautography assay demonstrated active compounds in S. incanum, W. indica and X. caffra var. caffra extracts developed in Benzene: Ethanol: Ammonia hydroxide (BEA).Conclusion: An ethnobotanical survey is a worthy starting point in selecting potential plant species for ethnopharmacological studies.Contribution: The effectiveness of oral administrations of the medicinal plants was confirmed by the excellent antifungal activity of the aqueous extracts.