Anticandidal low molecular compounds from higher plants with special reference to compounds from essential oils.

The most active low molecular weight compounds from higher plants against Candida species are compiled from a database of antimicrobials (Amicbase) to find out new hints on their mechanism of action. The selected compounds possess strong inhibitory activities in vitro against Candida species either in the agar diffusion test, bioautography, agar dilution test, serial dilution test, or activity in the vapour phase. The test conditions are listed thoroughly and aspects of the different methods and recent developments in the testing of anticandidal drugs are discussed. The anticandidal spectra of drugs, antiseptics, and disinfectants licensed on the major markets are given for comparison of activities with compounds from natural sources. So far known mechanisms of action are described and some new structure-activity relationships are deduced from relationships between biological activities and chemical and physical parameters. Main specific targets of natural anticandidals are the ergosterol pathway, respiratory chain, and chitin biosynthesis. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev.