Antifungal Activity of Six Homoeopathic Medicines against Candida albicans: In Vitro Assay

Abstract

Background

The rise in antifungal-resistant strains of Candida albicans indicates an urgent need for alternative treatments. This study investigated the potential of six homeopathic medications as affordable therapies for drug-resistant fungal infections by assessing their antifungal activities.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of homeopathic medicines using microdilution assays, biofilm inhibition assays, and trypan blue exclusion assays.

Materials and Methods

Assays for broth microdilution, followed by trypan blue exclusion and biofilm formation assays, were used to verify the antifungal properties of Mercurius solubilis (6C, 12C, 30C, 200C), Kreosotum (6C, 12C, 30C, 200C), Curcuma longa (200C), Sepia officinalis (6C, 12C, 30C, 200C), Mezereum (6C, 30C), and Myristica sebifera (12C, 30C, 200C). The assays were performed using 91% ethanol and fluconazole as negative and positive controls, respectively. This study was repeated thrice to verify the accuracy and reliability.

Results

Compared to the negative control and control, Kreosotum 12C (0.024 ± 0.007) had the most significant effect in microdilution and demonstrated the highest inhibition in the biofilm experiment (74.46%), whereas Sepia officinalis 30C demonstrated a substantial value in the trypan blue exclusion assay (89.41%).

Conclusion

This study concluded that six homoeopathic medicines have antifungal activities against C. albicans.

Keywords

antifungal - Candida albicans - Kreosotum - Sepia officinalis - microdilution - biofilm assay - trypan blue assay - homoeopathy

Authors' Contributions

G.K.S. contributed to the formal analysis, methodology, investigation, data curation, original draft writing, and review and editing. A.B. was involved in the methodology, investigation, data curation, and review and editing of the manuscript. C.C. participated in writing, reviewing, and editing. S.D. contributed to writing, reviewing, and editing. P.C. and L.M. both contributed to writing, review, and editing. K.V. was responsible for conceptualization, methodology, writing, review and editing, and supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

^* These authors contributed equally to this work.

Publication History

Article published online:
04 February 2026

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