Comparison of aglycon and glycosidic saponin extracts of Cyclamen coum tuber against Candida spp

Background and Candidiasis, as an important fungal infection, has been considered as the fourth most common nosocomial blood stream infection. Nowadays, because of increase in fungal resistance to antibiotics, use of herbal medicine has attended. Cyclamen species are medicinal plants containing triterpenoid saponins which have revealed antimicrobial properties.
Three species of candida including C. albicans 10231, C. tropicalis 0750 and C. krusei and 9 clinical samples were cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar. Active substances of the tubers were extracted by fractiation method. Susceptibility of Candida against Cyclamen coum tuber extracts were investigated via MIC and MFC experiments.
Our results demonstrated that ethyl acetate extract had no inhibitory effect on Candida strains, whereas the aqueous and n-butanolic extracts showed a considerable activity. MIC and MFC of these extracts were changed between 2- 32 µg/mL saponin for different Candida samples. Aglyconic aqueous phase of the extract had the most effective anticandida activity. Glycosidic and aglyconic aqueous extracts were less active on C. albicans strains and C. tropicalis , respectively.
tuber extract of cyclamen was rich in triterpenoid saponins and had antifungal effect. Sugar chain structure, type and concentration of the aglycones were effective on this activity.