Comparison of antifungal activity of probiotics, coconut oil and clotrimazole on candida albicans – An In vitro study

Background: Oral candidiasis is the most prevalent opportunistic infection of oral cavity. Candida albicans causes oral lesions in the vast majority of cases. Antifungal regimens such as azoles and polyenes are commonly used to control candida infections. Virgin coconut oil has been proven to have antifungal, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. Probiotic bacteria have been used to modify microflora ecosystems and also have antifungal activity. Aim: To evaluate the antifungal activity of probiotics, coconut oil, and clotrimazole against oral Candida albicans species. Materials and Methods: Coconut oil and probiotics were tested against clotrimazole, a positive control. Candida albicans were isolated and incubated in Rose Bengal Agar at 30° C for 48 h. The growth inhibitory effect of the test materials was evaluated using the direct contact method by adding 25, 50, and 100 μL of the test material as well as control to candida in a sterile tube and incubated at 37° C aerobically for 24 h. Results: The mean zone of inhibition for clotrimazole was 36 mm, whereas for coconut oil it was 13.6 mm, and for probiotics, it was 11.6 mm. Clotrimazole had the highest inhibitory effect at 100 μL concentration. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (P-value 0.002). Conclusion: The antifungal activity of clotrimazole was found to be higher than that of coconut oil and probiotics against C. albicans. Future studies should concentrate on other herbal alternatives which will be as effective as clotrimazole for the management of oral candidiasis.