| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2021 | Volume
: 5
| Issue : 2 | Page : 229-234 |
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Antifungal efficacy of lauric acid and caprylic acid – Derivatives of virgin coconut oil against Candida albicans
Satya Tejaswi Akula1, A Nagaraja2, M Ravikanth1, N Govind Raj Kumar3, Y Kalyan1, D Divya4
1 Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India
2 Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Seema Dental College and Hospital, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India
3 Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, GSL Dental College, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India
4 Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Andhra Pradesh, India
Correspondence Address:
Satya Tejaswi Akula
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Vishnu Dental College, Vishnupur, Bhimavaram - 534 202, Andhra Pradesh
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | 3 |
DOI: 10.4103/bbrj.bbrj_65_21
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Background: Candida albicans is the primary causative agent of oral mycotic infections and can be fulminant, especially in immunocompromised individuals, which often necessitates a therapeutic intervention with antifungal drugs. However, with emergence of multidrug-resistant fungi and concomitant intolerance and adverse side effects of antifungal drugs, it is pivotal to find an alternative. One approach is to screen natural compounds which represent a rich source of novel antimicrobial agents. Aim: The present study focused on the pharmacological screening of active ingredients of virgin coconut oil, the medium-chain fatty acids – lauric acid and caprylic acid, for antifungal activity on C. albicans comparatively with those of standard antifungal drugs such as fluconazole and clotrimazole. Methods: The efficacy of lauric acid and caprylic acid against C. albicans was evaluated by using standard protocol of disc diffusion method. It was assessed by the presence or absence of inhibition zones, diameter of inhibition zones (in cm), and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. Results: Caprylic acid and lauric acid (MCFS) have potential anticandidal activity against C. albicans. Caprylic acid has the highest antifungal potential at MIC of 40μg/ml. Conclusion: Both the natural compounds have shown encouraging antifungal activity in the present study. However, further microbiological and clinical evaluation is essential to consider their utilization for therapeutic purposes.
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