Candida is known to cause candidiasis and thrush. While neither are usually severe health risks in healthy individuals, they pose severe threats to immunocompromised individuals. Fluconazole, an antifungal, is the best line of defense against candidiasis. However, there are some species of the fungus that are becoming drug-resistant.
The threat of drug resistance has spurred researchers in Brazil and Spain to search for alternative compounds to help combat Candida. Scientists have found a plant, Mimosa caesalpinlifolia, that is effective in treating two fungal species. M. caesalpinlifolia had a total of 28 compounds extracted and used for experimentation. Four of those compounds displayed better antifungal results that that of fluconazole on samples of Candida glabrata and C. krusei. These results show promise as further testing and analysis continues for these exciting natural products.