Comparison of the Effects of Juglans nigra Green Husk and Clotrimazole on Candida albicans in Rats

Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is known to have antimicrobial and antifungal effects in vitro.
This study aimed to compare the effects of extracts derived from green-husked walnut with clotrimazole against Candida albicans in female rats.
In this study, 35 female Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups. A total of 4 groups of rats were infected vaginally with C. albicans and 1 group was not infected (negative control). The 4 infected groups received the following treatments: 2 groups received vaginal creams containing 2% or 4% of J. nigra extracts, respectively, 1 group received 1% clotrimazole, and 1 group did not receive any treatment (positive control). All rats received treatments for 2 weeks.
The mean number of colony forming unit (CFUs) before intervention was 308.2 ± 8.73 and 219 ± 13.4 in the 2% and 4% J. nigra group, 312.7 ± 28.32 in the clotrimazole group, 233.85 ± 8.15 in the positive control, and 0 in the negative control group (P Vaginal creams containing 4% J. nigra significantly eliminated C. albicans in female rats after 1 week and its effect was similar to that of clotrimazole.