Anti-fungal Effect of Fresh, Aged and Pickled Garlic Aqueous Extract on Candida Albicans;in vitro

Aims: In the last decades, garlic (Allium sativum) has been reported to display antifungal activity. Garlic inhibits the growth of Candida albicans. It is used in different forms for prevention or treatment of a variety of infections such as candidiasis. The present study was an attempt to compare the antifungal effect of fresh, aged garlic’s aqueous extract and pickle on Candida albicans’s standard sample. Methods: In this experimental study, garlic’s aqueous extract was extracted using Mantis method. Garlic which was frozen at -20°C for two years was used as aged garlic and garlic marinating in vinegar for 7 years (pH=3-3.5) was used as pickled garlic. Following the preparation of fungal suspension, a set of necessary dilutions was made out of the extract of all three types of garlic and the Minimum Inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal Fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined. The statistical difference between different groups was assessed using SPSS13 software and student T-test. Results: MIC for Fresh garlic was 2.34mg/ml and for aged garlic was 4.68mg/ml. Likewise; MFC was 2.34mg/ml Fresh garlic and 9.37mg/ml for aged garlic. Aqueous extract of garlic pickle did not have any anti-Candida properties in all prepared set of dilutions. There was the highest number of colony on the solid sauboro medium in the minimum dilution of fresh garlic extract about 300 and aged garlic about 500. Conclusion: Aqueous extract of fresh enjoys greater ability compared with the extract of aged garlic and garlic pickle for inhibiting from the growth of Candida albicans’s yeast.