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Backgrounds: Nowadays, excessive use of fungal drugs has led to the development of drug-resistant fungi, making it necessary to find natural and herbal antifungal agents. This in-vitro study aimed to evaluate the interactions of Satureja hortensis and Carum carvi essential oils together and each essential oil with fluconazole against Candida albicans ATCC-10231.
Materials & Methods: In this study, antifungal properties of different concentrations of S. hortensis (0.0244-1.56 μL/mL) and C. carvi (0.39-25 μL/mL) were investigated by broth-microdilution method based on CLSI M27-A3 and M27-S4 standard documents. The interactions of essential oils together and each essential oil with fluconazole were evaluated by checkerboard assay. Then using the ΣFIC index, the interaction results were interpreted.
Findings: S. hortensis essential oil showed higher antifungal activity than C. carvi essential oil. (MIC/MFC: S. hortensis: 1.56/3.12 μL/mL and C. carvi: 12.5/25 μL/mL). The interaction between S. hortensis essential oil and fluconazole was on the synergic and additive borderline (FICI=0.508), the interaction between C. carvi essential oil and fluconazole was additive (FICI=0.62), and C. carvi and S. hortensis essential oils showed no interaction together (FICI=2.015).
Conclusion: The essential oils of S. hortensis and C. carvi separately exhibited powerful antifungal activities. The use of S. hortensis essential oil at a very low concentration along with fluconazole caused an interaction very close to synergy and increased fluconazole antifungal activity. Therefore, S. hortensis is a potential candidate for combined use with fluconazole to treat C. albicans related diseases.

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Background: Lipophilic yeasts of the genus Malassezia has been placed among the Basidiomycota phylum in the family of Cryptococcaceae. The genus Malassezia comprises yeasts with a natural habitat of the skin of many warm-blooded vertebrates, and human, but they are also associated with several skin diseases such as tinea versicolor, seborrehoeic dermatitis and even systemic infections. The genus Malassezia has recently been revised to include nine species by biochemical, morphological and molecular findings. Materials and methods: This study was aimed at the development of a DNA-based procedure applicable to rapid laboratory confirmation and identification of each Malassezia species. At first, conventional identification methods based on macroscopic, and microscopic features and physiological properties was performed. In the molecular findings a specific and unique restriction pattern was determined for each of the three currently recognized Malassezia species. Results: The primers ITS/4 produced a large amplificon (about 800 bp for M. furfur, and M. globosa) and the other amplificon is smaller (about 600 bp for M. sympodialis). For further species distinction with this amplicon, one restriction endonuclease proved tobe useful. Restriction patterns obtained by ECOR1 digestion of amplified products from the ITS region was distinguish. Conclusion: Application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology for molecular diagnostics allows early and accurate identification of Malassezia Spp. The PCR-RFLP results were well correlated with those obtained from traditional identification procedures.

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Objective: Antioxidants are essential for sperm motility. Calligonum extract possesses the important antioxidants catechin and quercetin. This study investigates the effects of calligonum extract on sperm parameters and the rate of apoptosis in testes of aging male mice. Methods: We initially performed a dose response test with using three doses of calligonum (10 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg). A total of 25 aging male mice (11-13 months) were divided into the following groups of five mice each: control, sham and three experimental groups. The experimental groups received IP injections of calligonum extract (10 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg) weekly for up to five weeks. The sham group received IP injections of DMSO. At the end of the injection period, mice were sacrificed and sperm parameters analyzed. To determine apoptosis in testes, we performed TUNEL staining. Results: Our results showed that after calligonum treatment, there were improved sperm parameters in the 30 mg/kg-treated group compared to the other groups (P≤0.05). Conclusion: Calligonum extract (30 mg/kg) can improve sperm parameters and decrease apoptosis in the testes of aging male mice. This herbal extract can be employed as an antioxidant component for clinical usage.