Abstract
Background: This study aimed to compare the antifungal effects of herbal mouthwashes Cinnamol and Jaftex vs. Matrica and Persica, with chlorhexidine as the gold standard, on the growth of Candida albicans and C. glabrata. Methods: Antifungal activities of the mouthwashes regarding C. albicans and C. glabrata susceptibility to antifungals were evaluated using the broth macrodilution test. The mouthwashes' minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined 3 times. The mouthwashes were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc test. Results: Mean MICs for C. albicans in the case of chlorhexidine, Jaftex, Persica, Matrica, and Cinnamol were 0.098%, 25.0%, 10.417%, 6.25%, and 3.125%, respectively (P = 0.008, excluding chlorhexidine: P = 0.015). Mean MICs for C. glabrata in these mouthwashes (in the same order) were 0.067%, 12.50%, 5.208%, 5.208%, and 0.781 (P = 0.009, excluding chlorhexidine: P = 0.039). Mean MFCs for C. albicans were 0.26%, 100%, 12.5%, 8.333%, and 3.125% (P = 0.009, excluding chlorhexidine: P = 0.015). Mean MFCs for C. glabrata in these mouthwashes were 0.134%, 25.0%, 10.417%, 10.417%, and 1.563%, respectively (P = 0.015, excluding chlorhexidine: P = 0.039). The MIC and MFC of C. albicans and C. glabrata differed between Jaftex and chlorhexidine (P ≤ 0.024). After excluding chlorhexidine, the MIC or MFC of Jaftex and Cinnamol differed (P ≤ 0.030). Conclusions: All the mouthwashes showed antifungal activity against C. albicans and C. glabrata. Among them, the newly introduced Cinnamol mouthwash exhibited the best antifungal activity against C. albicans and C. glabrata, while the experimental herbal mouthwash (Jaftex) was the weakest. Chlorhexidine showed the most potent anti-Candida effect compared to herbal mouthwashes.