Inhibitory effects of medical plants on the Candida albicans and bacterial growth in the oral cavity

In this mini-review, the authors discuss the effects of ethanol extracts, essential oils and cytotoxicity of some medicinal plants and their compounds used in ethnomedicine in different geographic regions worldwide, including Serbia, on the growth, multiplication and pathogenicity of Candida albicans and bacteria that play the main role in the balance of the oral ecosystem. Various medicinal plants, such as Rosmarinus officinalis (Fam. Lamiaceae), Artemisia dracunculus, Artemisia absinthium (Fam. Asteraceae), exist in different geographic regions and continents, as well as in the Balkan region, and among them there are some indigenous species like Hypericum perforatum L. (Fam. Hypericaceae), Urtica dioica L. (U. dioica) (Fam. Urticaceae), Achillea millefolium L. (Fam. Asteraceae), Matricaria chamomilla L. (Fam. Asteraceae), Sambucus nigra L. (Fam. Caprifoliaceae), and Thymus serpyllum L. (Fam. Lamiaceae) with impressive antimicrobial activity against microorganisms originating from the oral cavity.