Monica Pospassari - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Krida Wacana Christian University, Jakarta, Indonesia
Gloria Stefanie - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Krida Wacana Christian University, Jakarta, Indonesia
Kris Herawan Timotius - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Krida Wacana Christian University, Jakarta, Indonesia- Research Center for Jamu and Herbal Medicine, Jakarta, Indonesia

Background: Candida albicans is one of the important infectious yeasts that is associated with candidiasis, including oral candidiasis. The extracts of various herbal materials are potential for treating candidiasis. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine phytochemical constituents of the leaf ethanolic extract of Citrus aurantifolia with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and to investigate the inhibiting effect of this extract on the planktonic growth of C. albicans. Methods: The fresh leaves of C. aurantifolia were macerated overnight with ethanol. The extract was analysed with GC-MS. C. albicans ATCC ۱۰۲۳۱ was used in this study. The well-diffusion procedure was applied to detect the anti-candida activity qualitatively. Finally, real-time planktonic growth was employed for detecting the anti-candida activity quantitatively. Results: GC-MS analysis revealed four dominant components in the ethanolic leaf extract of C. aurantifolia, namely, limonene, geraniol, phytol, and caryophyllene. The extract inhibited the growth of C. albicans either under the agar diffusion test or real-time planktonic growth. The specific growth rate of C. albicans was slower in the liquid culture with the extract. The specific growth rates of the ۰ (control), ۱۳.۳, and ۲۶.۶ μg/mL were ۰.۵۸۲, ۰.۳۸۴, and ۰.۲۷۲, respectively. Eventually, the yields of the treated growth with ۰ (control), ۱۳.۳, and ۲۶.۶ μg/mL were OD۸۵۰ of ۴.۵, ۳.۰, and ۳.۷, respectively. Conclusion: The leaf ethanolic extract of C. aurantifolia contains bioactive compounds which have anticandida activity. Thus, it is a good material for new anti-candida ingredients in the future.

Anti-candida, Caryophyllene, Geraniol, Limonene, Phytol