EFFICACY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST FUNGAL DISEASES: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

Fungi can cause detrimental maladies in plants, animals and humans. Concomitant utilization of antimicrobial agents is causing resistance to currently available antifungal drugs and created selective pressure. The need for alternative antifungal drugs is urgently needed due to emerging resistance of fungal strains, high cost of antifungal drugs and numerous adverse effects. Natural products such as plants have been evaluated for their medicinal properties against numerous fungal diseases. The medicinal plants are our heritage and their use for the treatment of diseases has developed the philosophy of herbal medicine. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential effects of medicinal plants used against fungal diseases. This study uses a systemic review and meta-analysis of a compendium of ethnobotanical studies with a medicinal plant constituents against fungal species. The results showed that Ziziphus spina-christi L. Achillea millefolium, Mentha piperita, Rhoicissus species, Hypericum scabrum, Terminalia chebula, Schinus terebinthifolius, Xanthium strumarium L., Polyscias fulva, Zanthoxylum species, Rubus ulmifolius, Boesenbergia pandurata, Piper ovatum Vahl, Syzygium species and Micromeria silicica had antifungal effects of Candida species. Syzygium species is considered to have the highest antifungal effects on Trichophyton, Microsporum, Rhizopus, Candida, Cryptococcus, Aspergillus, Epidermophyton, Scopulariopsis and Botrytis species.  Due to increasing challenges with antifungal drugs resistance, these findings suggest that the Syzygium species showed good antifungal effects on nine (9) different fungal species including Candida species. Apparently, Syzygium species might be attributed to some potent form of in vitro antifungal activity, presence of polyphenol and bioactive compounds, control of pathogenicity and aggressiveness against wide range of pathogenic fungi. Candida species is a leading cause of nosocomial infections and patients may die as a result of infection. High burden of fungal infections is increasing annually. Evaluation of medicinal plants as a potential source of antifungal drugs can help expand treatment options in endemic regions.