Comparative study of the effect of Eucalyptus extract on Candida albicans and human pathogenic bacteria

Background & Aim: During recent decades, infections disease resulting from opportunistic fungi such as Candida albicans and resistance increasing of human pathogenic bacteria to current antibiotics has led to many problems for treating of these diseases. The aims of the present study was to investigate anti-fungi and anti-bacterial effects of Eucalyptus extract on Candida albicans species isolated from clinical samples and some standard human pathogenic bacteria. Experimental: Eucalyptus extract was provided using rotary apparatus and maceration method. Thirty isolates of Candida albicans were isolated from referred patients to gynecologist and then were purified and identified by valid keys. Finally, 30 isolated were used to growth inhibitory activity assay. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of eucalyptus extract against 5 standard bacteria inculding: Staphylococcus aureu, Shigella dysenteriae, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio cholera and Bacillus cereus were evaluated using micro broth dilution method. Results: Our results indicated that in compare to bacterial strains, fungus isolates showed more sensitivity to eucalyptus extract. The highest and lowest MIC of extract was recorded at 12.5 and 3.1 ppm for S. aureus and B. cereus, respectively. As MIC, the maximum MBC (20ppm) and minimum MBC (5ppm) of extract was recorded fro S. aureus and B. cereus respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration of extract to fungal growth inhibitory was 50 ppm, whereas the maximum inhibiting concentration was 150 ppm. Recommended applications/industries: The positive and interesting results suggest the essential oil of E. globulus could be exploited antibiotic for the treatment of candidiasous disease caused by Candida albicans fungi, and some human pathogenic bacteria studied in this work.