Antifungal Role of Common Indian Spices & Herbs: A Narrative Review

A large variety of spices can be found in kitchens worldwide. The usage varies from region to region as per the cuisine. They hold nutritional values and are being exploited for their anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory properties. This study highlights some of the commonly used Indian spices for their antifungal properties and summarizes their potential antifungal activity. Fungal diseases are deep-rooted and cause acute/chronic infections in humans, mainly Aspergillus and Candida species. As the tropical climate provides a breeding ground for fungal infections, such regions share a huge load of mycoses. Various spices have been shown to be effective in treating fungal diseases. The current study focuses on the potential anti-fungal role of the spices and reviews the current literature on the possible mechanism of action of the active compounds of these spices relative to commonly used antifungal drugs. The spices consist of essential oils that inhibit mycotoxin biosynthesis or disrupt and inhibit cell wall formation and efflux pumps and are comparable to the currently available antifungal drugs.