Effectiveness of Citrus paradisi Extract, its Synergistic Effect and Cytotoxicity when Incorporated into Tissue Conditioners against Candida Species

Purpose: One of the most common fungal infections seen in complete denture wearers is candidiasis. Unscrupulous use of tissue conditioners, in the long run, can lead to irreversible damage to the tissues if the underlying infection is not attended to in a timely manner. Carcinogenesis and environmental residues associated with synthetic antifungals are eliminating them from the market and herbal alternatives are replacing them due to lesser side effects. Since Citrus species are known for antifungal and antibacterial effects, the raw fruits of Citrus paradisi were selected for study. Materials and Methods: The fresh fruits of C. paradisi were hydrodistilated to obtain their volatile oil. Antifungal impact studies were conducted using agar diffusion and colony count techniques on certain Candidal strains from the ATCC. The research was conducted on human gingival fibroblasts to determine cytotoxicity, biofilm inhibition, synergistic action, minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum fungicidal concentration, and zone of inhibition (ZOI). Results: Volatile extract of C. paradisi showed higher efficiency compared to commercially available antifungals. Cytotoxic effects were less than the toxicity showed by commercial antifungals. Conclusion: C. paradisi oil extract showed antifungal effect on tested strains of Candida. In-vitro cytotoxicity on human gingival fibroblast was less in comparison to flucanazole and amphotericin B.