Comparative Antifungal Efficacy of Curcumin Plus Nystatin Versus Nystatin Monotherapy for Treatment of Denture Stomatitis: A Clinical Trial.

Abstract

Objectives: This study compared the antifungal efficacy of curcumin plus nystatin versus nystatin monotherapy for treatment of denture stomatitis. Materials and Methods: This single-blind clinical trial evaluated 32 patients with types II and III denture stomatitis. Microbial samples were collected from the patients' palate to count the Candida albicans (C. albicans) colonies. Erythema of the palate was quantified by measuring the surface area of the erythematous sites. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups (n=16). The control group received nystatin suspension while the test group received a curcumin mouthwash plus nystatin suspension. The number of C. albicans colony forming units (CFUs) and the surface area of the erythematous sites were calculated again after 14 days. Data were analyzed using t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test (alpha=0.05). Results: Both groups experienced a significant reduction in C. albicans colony count after the intervention (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in reduction of colony count between the two groups (P=0.341). Both groups experienced a significant reduction in the size of erythema (P=0.001 for the nystatin and P<0.001 for the nystatin plus curcumin). The two groups were not significantly different regarding the size of erythema at baseline (P=0.956) or after the intervention (P=0.491). Conclusion: Addition of curcumin to nystatin suspension did not add any significant advantage with regard to reduction of C. albicans colony count or erythema of the palate, and both interventions were equally effective.