Background: Candida species (sp) is implicated in causing opportunistic disseminated mycotic complications in stage II HIV patients. Cleistopholis patens is a West African medicinal tree reported to have significant antifungal activity against C. albicans.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the anti-candidal activity of methanolic leaf extract of Cleistopholis patens against Candida species isolated from stage II HIV patients.
Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract and Nystatin®® was determined by agar dilution method. The killing rate studies of the plant extract and Nystatin® were also determined.
Results: The extract had activity against all Candida isolates, with the MIC against the five isolates ranging from 6.0 - 9.8 mg/ml. Nystatin® also demonstrated plausible activity against the isolates with MICs ranging from 0.3125 - 25 mg/ml. Candida albicans strain 2 was the most sensitive to both extract and Nystatin® with MIC values of 6 and 0.3125 mg/ml respectively. Candida krusei was the least sensitive with MIC values of 9.8 and 25 mg/ml for the extract and Nystatin® respectively. The killing rate values for the extract ranged from -0.029 to -0.091 min(-1) and that of Nystatin® ranged from -0.076 to -0.11216 min(-1).
Conclusions: The results indicate that the methanolic extract of Cleistopholis patens is a promising clinical alternative besides Nystatin® in the treatment of infections caused by Candida species in stage II HIV patients.
Keywords: Anti-candidal activity; Candida; Cleistopholis patens; HIV Patients.