ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF CLOVE AND CINNAMON MEDIATED SELENIUM NANOPARTICLES: AN In vitro STUDY

Background: Cinnamon and clove are both natural preservative and flavoring substances that are not harmful when consumed in food products. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are the nanoscale metal structures. SeNPs have exhibited great antimicrobial activities against fungi and bacteria.

Aim: To determine the antifungal activity of clove and cinnamon mediated selenium nanoparticles against Candida albicans.

Materials and Methods: The clove and cinnamon powder was procured. An aqueous extract was prepared and mixed with sodium selenide precursor for selenium nanoparticle formation and centrifuged at 8000 rpm for 10 minutes. The extract was then placed in the well cultured agar plates against Candida albicans and incubated for 24 hours at 37ºC. The zones of inhibition were calculated by disk diffusion method.

Results: Cinnamon and clove mediated selenium nanoparticles have good antifungal activity with the zone of inhibition of 35 mm at the highest concentration (150 µl). Whereas, the control Amphotericin B showed a zone of inhibition of 34 mm.

Conclusion: Cinnamon and clove mediated selenium nanoparticles were studied and their wider zones of inhibition were suggestive of good antifungal efficiency.