In Vivo Toxicological and Microbiological Activity of Marrubium vulgare L. on Candida albicans Isolated from Nosocomial Infections

The objective of this study is to test the toxicology of methanolic extract of Marrubium vulgare "MEMV" in rat and its efficiency in the treatment of systemic candidiasis.

First, forty (40) male rats "Wistar type" are used. Second, they are divided into four groups (10 rats /group) where the toxicological, microbiological and histological studies are applied. Later, the infection with 107 cells /ml of C. albicans and the curative treatment are applied by the daily administration with a gavage of 800 mg/kg of MEMV. Finally, the toxicology studies indicate that the dose of methanolic extract of Marrubium vulgare at 800 mg/kg of body weight is not harmful.

As a final result, the microbiological and histological analysis showed that the treatment with MEMV of rat colonized with 107 cells /ml of C. albicans limits the multiplication of the yeast in the intestine and colon of the colonized rat. The translocation of Candida albicans in liver, spleen and lungs in rat which is treated with 800 mg/kg after inoculation with C. albicans is significantly lower than in controls to seven post- infection days. However, we do not detect yeast in the kidneys and hearts of the infected treated groups and the infected untreated ones.

Our results suggest that MEMV limits the gastrointestinal colonization and dissemination of C.albicans in the other organs.