The comparative study of antifungal activity of Syzygium aromaticum, Punica granatum and nystatin on Candida albicans; an in vitro study.

AIM: Candida species are opportunistic fungi, among which, Candida albicans is the most important species responsible for infections in immunocompromised patients with invasive fungal disease. Resistance of Candida species to antifungal drugs has led scientists to pay more attention to traditional medicine herbs. Due to the limitations in the treatment of fungal diseases such as shortages, high prices, antifungal side effects and drug resistance or reduced susceptibility to fungal drugs we decided to study the antifungal effects of herbal extracts of Syzygium aromaticum and Punica granatum. METHODS: Twenty-one isolates of oral C. albicans in patients with denture stomatitis referred to prosthesis department, Dental faculty of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were prepared and cultured. Plant extracts were prepared from the herbs market. Tests on patient samples and standard strains 5027ATCC (PTCC10231) yeast C. albicans were performed via well diffusion method. In addition, nystatin and methanol were used as positive and negative control, respectively. Finally, the antifungal effect of extracts using Statistical Repeated measurement ANOVA test was investigated. RESULTS: Both S. aromaticum and P. granatum showed noticeable antifungal activity in well method. Syzygium aromaticum showed better anti candida activity than nystatin (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Due to increasing problems with fungal diseases, these findings suggest that the plant extracts of S. aromaticum and P. granatum showed good antifungal effects (P-value<0.001). S. aromaticum (inhibition zone diameter: 29.62) showed better antifungal effects than nystatin (inhibition zone diameter: 28.48).

Evaluation of Epstein-Barr virus load in saliva before and after renal transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) arising in solid organ transplant patients show a strong correlation with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. The aim of our study was to evaluate the frequency of EBV DNA levels before and after transplantation among saliva samples of Iranian kidney transplant patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 40 kidney transplant recipients and their healthy donors, we evaluated the EBV DNA levels in saliva samples by quantitative polymerase chain reaction method using samples obtained 1 hour before transplantation surgery. In addition, 3 months after transplantation we evaluated EBV DNA levels in recipients for comparison with preoperative levels. Exclusion criteria included hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human T-cell leukemia virus infections before transplantation as well as HIV-positive patients under highly active antiretroviral therapy, graft rejection requiring dialysis and active viral infection of oral cavity. RESULTS: Before renal transplantation, there was no significant difference in saliva EBV DNA levels between kidney donor and recipient patients (P=.8). The levels increased significantly to 67.6% in the recipient group after transplantation (P=.01). CONCLUSION: We observed that EBV was more frequently present in the oral mucosa after renal transplantation. Thus, we can follow these patients for EBV infection using saliva examinations as a simple screening method.