ABSTRACT

The antimicrobial effects of different potash compounds on Candida isolates were evaluated by  in vitro and in vivo methods The potash compounds screened were potash alum, potassium carbonate and palm ash from Elaeis guineensis Fifty highvaginal swab samples were collected from patients suspected of having vulvovaginal candidiasis Thirtyfive out of the fifty samples were positive to Candida growth The Candida isolated include Candida albicans (50%), Ctropicalis (34%) and C glabrata (16%) The in vitro antimicrobial effects of the potash compounds and their various combinations were evaluated using the wellinagar and Kirby Bauer’s methods The wellinagar method gave a better result than the KirbyBauer’s method Potash alum gave the highest inhibition zone diameter (48mm at 80% w/v concentration) while potassium carbonate (36mm at 80% w/v concentration) was the least The in vivo antimicrobial assay was done using four week old healthy albino mice weighing between 100grams and 120grams The animals were divided into four groups comprising: the normal mice, immunosuppressed mice, the positive control and the negative control groups The animals were immunosupressed intraperitoneally using 01mililitre cyclophosphamide (100mg/kg body weight) without anesthesia They were inoculated cutaneously five days after immunosuppression with a loopful of the isolates (equivalent to 1x108cfu/g) and carefully observed for clinical signs and symptoms of cutaneous candidiasis The immunosuppressed group developed infection 7 days after the inoculation while the normal group developed infection 9 days after the inoculation The immunosuppressed and the normal groups were treated immediately after the manifestation of clinical signs and symptoms of cutaneous candidiasis This was done using different formulations of the potash compounds The positive control group was treated with topical nystatin and Vaseline gelly while the negative control group was left untreated The animals showed a gradual disappearance of the clinical signs and symptoms from the fourth day of treatment onwards The in vivo studies confirmed the results of the in vitro sensitivity test, thus showing that potash compounds could serve as better alternatives to our conventional antibiotics