Anticandidal activity of pomegranate peel extract aerosol as an applicable sanitizing method

Pomegranate is a wonderful fruit from the paradise which contains a wide variety of precious phytochemical compounds applicable in the fields of therapeutics and health care. Candida albicans is the most common etiological agent for many clinical mycoses which could lead to human and animal death. Determination of the anticandidal activity of pomegranate peel extracts (PPE), and application of PPE aerosol as sanitizer agent against C. albicans contamination were investigated. Agar diffusion assay and broth microdilution susceptibility test were applied for qualitative and quantitative determining the PPE anticandidal activity, respectively, versus commonly used fungicides. Aerosolization of PPE using an experimentally designed sanitizer room was applied for examining C. albicans sanitation potentiality of extract. PPE exhibited potent anticandidal activity against C. albicans strains comparing with standard fungicides in both used susceptibility techniques. Methanol, ethanol and water extracts were the most effective for inhibiting C. albicans growth. PPE aerosol was an efficient method for complete sanitizing of semi-closed places against C. albicans growth. Application of PPE aerosol is a proper sanitizing method for preventing C. albicans contamination and growth in suspected places.