Antifungal activity of ethanol extract of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and almond (Terminalia catappa) against ATCC strains of Candida albicans

In this investigation, the in vitro effectiveness of ethanol extracts from fresh and dried leaves of almond (Terminalia catappa L.) and the aerial part of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) was evaluated against ATCC strains of Candida albicans. (the most prevalent fungus in opportunistic fungal diseases today). The use of herbal remedies to combat this fungal infection is the objective of this study, aiming to identify potential active compounds for future drugs. Extracts of thyme and almond were used against ATCC 14053 and ATCC 24433 strains of Candida albicans to observe the antifungal activity of thyme and almond. A total of 20 experimental units were used, with 5 replications per treatment group. Fresh thyme extract: 125 g/500 mL. Fresh almond extracts: 10 g/90 mL, 20 g/80 mL, and 30 g/70 mL. Dried thyme extract: 125 g/500 mL. Dried almond extracts: 10 g/90 mL, 20 g/80 mL, and 30 g/70 mL. Positive control: Nystatin at a concentration of 100,000 U/mL. Negative control: 0.9% saline solution. The inhibition percentage of the 8 treatments was determined in both strains, with notable results for almond Treatment 3 (AF3) (30 g/70 mL) resulted in an 83.1% inhibition rate against the ATCC 24433 strain and 81.9% against ATCC 14053; treatment 2 (AS2) (20 g/80 mL) and treatment 3 (AS3) (30 g/70 mL) resulted in a 70.6% inhibition rate against ATCC 14053; and treatment 3 (AS3) (30 g/70 mL) yielded a 78.3% inhibition rate. On the other hand, thyme had different results. Treatment (TS) (125 g/500 mL) exhibited29.4% inhibition against ATCC 24433 and treatment (TF) (125 g/500 mL)exhibited 28.6% inhibition against ATCC 14053. Based on the results, we can assert that in the ongoing search for alternatives to treat fungal infections, plants such as almond and thyme, which exhibit antifungal activity, stand out as a natural option to combat such infections.