NADES-mediated folk plant extracts as novel antifungal agents against Candida albicans

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogenic yeast commonly found in mouth, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. Under certain conditions, it causes skin, mucosal and systemic infections. With growing concern over the emergence of resistant strains to conventional antifungals, the development of novel antifungal agents for the management of this pathogen is an urgent need. In the present work, novel bioextracts from folk medicinal plants were directly used as active ingredient in a topical formulation for dermal candidiasis. With the aim to replace hazardous traditional reagents, a natural solvent composed by lactic acid: glucose: water (LGH) was used as vehicle for bioactive compound extraction. Furthermore, phenolic and alkaloid composition were determined by HPLC and their individual antifungal effect was evaluated. LGH extracts of Larrea spices demonstrate a significant antimicrobial activity against C. albicans being higher than their individual bioactive constituents. Notably, the mixture of Larrea cuneifolia and L divaricata extracts in topical formulations reveal a synergistic antifungal effect highlighting their potential for candidiasis treatment.