Anticandidal activity of Azadirachta indica

OBJECTIVE: To study the antifungal activity of 10 different extracts of seed kernels of Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Meliaceae) on Candida sps. isolated from immunocompromised patients.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The extractants used were hexane, methanol, chloroform, water, petroleum ether, dichloromethane, acetone and absolute alcohol. The products of a successive extraction procedure involving hexane, chloroform and methanol were also tested for anticandidal activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration was tested by broth dilution method at concentrations ranging from 1 to 0.0625 mg/ml. RESULTS: The ethanol extract of commercial neem seed oil, ethanol extract of neem seed kernels and the hexane extract showed best results. All strains were resistant to methanol: chloroform: water extracts and chloroform extracts of the successive extraction procedure. CONCLUSION: The hexane and alcoholic extracts of neem seed seem to be promising anticandidal agents.