The emergence of antimicrobial resistance, coupled with the availability of fewer
antifungal agents with fungicidal actions, prompted this present study to characterize Candida species in our environment and determine the effectiveness of virgin
coconut oil as an
antifungal agent on these species. In 2004, 52 recent isolates of Candida species were obtained from clinical specimens sent to the Medical Microbiology Laboratory, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Their susceptibilities to virgin
coconut oil and
fluconazole were studied by using the
agar-well diffusion technique. Candida albicans was the most common isolate from clinical specimens (17); others were Candida glabrata (nine), Candida tropicalis (seven), Candida parapsilosis (seven), Candida stellatoidea (six), and Candida krusei (six). C. albicans had the highest susceptibility to
coconut oil (100%), with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 25% (1:4 dilution), while
fluconazole had 100% susceptibility at an MIC of 64 microg/mL (1:2 dilution). C. krusei showed the highest resistance to
coconut oil with an MIC of 100% (undiluted), while
fluconazole had an MIC of > 128 microg/mL. It is noteworthy that
coconut oil was active against species of Candida at 100% concentration compared to
fluconazole.
Coconut oil should be used in the treatment of
fungal infections in view of emerging
drug-resistant Candida species.