Antifungal activity of Myrrh gum resin against pathogenic spp.

Introduction And Objective: Medicinal plants have a long and significant history of being used for their healing properties. One famous example is , which is mostly found in the southern part of Arabia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a water-based extract obtained from two different varieties of myrrh in suppressing the proliferation of spp. at different concentrations.

Material And Methods: The inhibitory activity of the aqueous extract of two different varieties of myrrh, commonly used in traditional medicine, was assessed against five pathogenic yeasts using the diffusion technique. Mass spectrum was used to analyze myrrh's chemical composition for antimicrobial effects.

Results: The aqueous extract of both tested species of myrrh ( and ) showed inhibitory effects on all tested isolates. During the chemical examination of myrrh, it was noted that the material included 12 components known for their antimicrobial properties. The essential oil derived from two varieties of myrrh showed the most significant effects on (ATCC 66029), (ATCC 6260), (ATCC 18803), (ATCC 66031), and (ATCC 14053). Analysis of chemical composition of the myrrh revealed 19 known components, of which 12 compounds have been proven by research to suppress the growth of microorganisms.

Conclusions: and aqueous extracts exhibit a promising antifungal effect against common infections. The aqueous extracts present a variety of antimicrobial compounds; however, further research is necessary to elucidate the specific mechanisms of action of these compounds, and to evaluate their efficacy, toxicity and safety before considering their clinical application.