Abstract

QUERCUS INFECTORIA GALLS: PHYTOMEDICINE PROMISSING FOR TREATING CANDIDIASIS - AN AREVIEW

*Fateh AL Rahman F. Magbool

Abstract

There are global problems of multiple antifungals resistance as well as emergence of new and resurrection of previously eradicated diseases. Most of the current antimicrobial drugs simply reduce the level of growth of bacteria or fungi and some of them are very toxic to the kidney, the hematopoietic and central nervous system. With the rising problems of side effects and limited efficacy of antifungal drugs, there is an urgent need for the development of alternative antifungal substances and researchers are nowadays turning to natural products from plants, as their main source of bioactive compounds with antifungal and antimicrobial properties, to complement the existing synthetic antifungal drugs that are gradually becoming less potent against pathogenic micro-organisms. Medicinal plants remain a rich source of novel therapeutic agents. Many plant species are still unevaluated chemically or biologically. Several studies regarding the action of plant extracts against some pathogenic fungi have been performed. The Gall of Quercus infectoria is described in detail in ethnobotanical and literature to possess various pharmacological actions such as analgesic, antidote, antiinflammatory, antipyretic, antiseptic, antistomatitis, expectorant, germicidal, hypnotic, hypoglycaemic, powerful astringent, sedative, styptic, tonic, tonic to teeth and gum, and wound healing, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and many more. The galls have been documented to possess stringent and antimicrobial properties. The stringent properties are mainly derived from tannin, the main compound constituting 50-70% of QI. Tannin has displayed their antifungal action by several mechanisms. This review thus provides a useful database of the therapeutic bioactivity of Quercus Infectoria Galls, Thus effort must be making for isolation, standardization and clinical evaluation of such phytochemicals in order to obtain lead compounds for further new drug discovery and different formulations can be made in form of gels, ointments, mouth washes and powder to be effectively used for the treatment of different form of candidiasis.

Keywords: Quercus Infectoria Galls, phytochemicals, ethno botanical, bioactivity, Candidiasis.