Abstract

THE EFFECT OF (-)-EPIGALLOCATECHIN-3-GALLATE GREEN TEA ON NEUTROPHIL COUNT AND INFECTED CELLS BY CANDIDA ALBICANS IN A MURINE MODEL OF ORAL CANDIDIASIS

Remita Adya Prasetyo*, Nasronudin and Retno Pudji Rahayu

ABSTRACT

Background: Oral candidiasis is an infection caused by commensal fungi of Candida species in the oral cavity that serves as an opportunistic pathogen with Candida albicans (C. albicans) as the most frequent (80%) etiology. The prevalence of oral candidiasis tends to increase due to the increasing population of immunocompromised patients and resistance to anti fungal. This requires alternative treatment to enhance the effectivity of anti fungal medications such as green tea (Camellia sinensis) with (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as the main polyphenol component and most potent (59-65%). The effect of EGCG green tea in obliterating oral candidiasis through neutrophil count and infected cells by C. albicans is not clearly determined yet up to now. Objective: To analyze the effect of EGCG green tea in a murine model of oral candidiasis through neutrophil count and infected cells by C. albicans. Method: True laboratory experimental study with randomized post test only control group design, using Wistar male rats. The rats were grouped into 1 control and 3 intervention groups. EGCG was given with the dosage of 0, 1, 2 and 4 mg/kgBW/day as the intervention. Result: immunohistochemistry and Hematoxyllineosin stain showed that EGCG green tea increased neutrophil count and decreased infected cells by C. albicans. Conclusion: EGCG green tea has been significantly increased neutrophil count and decreased infected cells by C. albicans in a murine model of oral candidiasis.

Keywords: (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, green tea, neutrophil count, infected cells by C. albicans, murine model, oral candidiasis.