Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs on Candida from Patients with HIV/AIDS

Candidiasis is most common among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). About 90 percent of patients developed oropharyngeal candidiasis in various stages of AIDS. Triazole antifungal agents, such as fluconazole and itraconazole, are considered to be the first choice for treatment and precaution for their relatively low side effects and high effectiveness on mucosal infections. However, with the prolonged exposure to the azoles, the drug resistance becomes a challenge for clinicians.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, more than 300 herbs have been discovered for their pesticidal activities, and some of them have been used as antifungal agents in clinic for many years such as the bark of Pseudolarix kaempferi Gordon, Sophore flavesens, Frycpvs rochiae, Fructus cnidiiare. In vitro, the bark of Pseudolarix kaempferi Gordon could destroy the cellullar structure. And the Lisea cubeba oil exhibited strong antifungal activity by inhibiting the ergosterol synthesis, an important component of fungal cell wall. Under SEM, the configuration of Trichophyton rubrum could be destroyed by the extracts from Rhizoma coptidis and Fructus cnidii. In addition, ethanol extracts from Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz and the bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andr were also observed the fungistasis to Candida albicans, Rhodotorula sp, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Prototheca wicherham ii and Saccharomyces cereisiae.

Therefore, Chinese herbs provide abundant choices in treatment of refractory candidiasis in HIV/AIDS patients.