Comparison of Antifungal Efficacy of Zataria Multiflora and Nystatin for Treatment of Denture Stomatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Statement of the Problem: Zataria multiflora (ZM) is a thyme-like plant that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It is native to the center and south of Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Evi-dence shows that ZM contains thymol and carvacrol and is therefore, effective for the treatment of many conditions especially fungal infections. Oral candidiasis is the most common opportun-istic infection of the oral mucosa that plays a role in the development of denture stomatitis. Purpose: This study aimed to compare the antifungal efficacy of ZM and nystatin suspension for the treatment of denture stomatitis. Materials and Method: This single-blind clinical trial evaluated 28 patients ( 18 years old) suffering from type II or III denture stomatitis. Patients were divided into two groups. The con-trol group used nystatin suspension while the case group used ZM drop. The number of Can-dida albicans (C. albicans) colony-forming units (CFUs) and erythema of the palate were eval-uated at baseline and at 14 days after treatment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 11 via Student’s t test and repeated measure ANOVA. Results: The results showed similar efficacy of nystatin and ZM in the reduction of C.albicans CFUs compared to the baseline value (p= 0.593). Both medications significantly decreased the colony count (p 0.001). Nystatin and ZM had similar efficacy for the reduction of erythema as well (p= 0.256) and both caused a significant reduction in erythema of the palate (p 0.001). Conclusion: ZM drop was as effective as the nystatin drop in the resolution of erythema of the palate and reduction of C. albicans colony count.