In vitro antifungal activities of medicinal plants used for treatment of candidiasis in Pader district, Northern Uganda

The emergence of multidrug resistant Candida species to available drugs has led to renewed interest in the use of herbal medicines globally. This study scientifically verified antifungal effectiveness of five commonly used plant species in Pader district, against selected pathogenic candida strains. Powdered roots of Momordica foetida, Sansevieria dawei and Distimake dissectus; and stem barks of Khaya anthotheca and Mitragyna rubrostipulata were extracted and tested against Candida albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis using agar well diffusion and broth micro-dilution methods. Results showed that aqueous extract of M. rubrostipulata, methanol extract of K. anthotheca, and combination of aqueous extract of D. dissectus + methanol extract of K. anthotheca exhibited broad spectrum antifungal activities and were fungistatic against all tested Candida species, demonstrating potential as better treatment options for candidiasis than conventional drugs.