Enhancement of Fluconazole Activity by Ocimum basilicum Essential Oil in Candida albicans and Pichia kudriavzevii

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has intensified the challenge of treating fungal infections, particularly those caused by Candida albicans and Pichia kudriavzevii, which show increasing resistance to conventional antifungal agents. This scenario highlights the urgent need for new therapeutic approaches capable of enhancing existing treatments. In this study, we investigated the antifungal potential of Ocimum basilicum essential oil (OEOB) and its combined effects with standard antifungal drugs. In antifungal assays, isolated OEOB did not exhibit significant inhibitory activity against Candida albicans and Pichia kudriavzevii. However, when associated with fluconazole, OEOB promoted a marked reduction in fungal growth, demonstrating its potential to enhance the efficacy of conventional antifungal therapy. These findings indicate that OEOB acts as a promising adjuvant agent in antifungal treatments, contributing to improved therapeutic outcomes against resistant Candida albicans and Pichia kudriavzevii strains.