Phytochemical Profiling of Azadirachta indica Flower and Investigation of their Anticandidal Potential – An in vitro Study

Background: Candidiasis is one of the most common fungal infections affecting the oral cavity. The growing resistance to conventional antifungal agents has led to increased interest in plant-derived compounds. Azadirachta indica (neem) is widely used in traditional medicine and is known for its antimicrobial properties. However, the antifungal potential of neem flowers remains underexplored. Objective: To evaluate the antifungal efficacy of Azadirachta indica flowers against Candida species and to analyse their phytochemical composition using Chromatographic-mass spectrometric profiling. Methods: Ethanolic extracts of Azadirachta indica flowers were prepared using Soxhlet extraction. The antifungal activity was assessed through Agar disc diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination, and spectrophotometric optical density (OD) measurements. Inhibitory concentration 50% (IC₅₀) values were also calculated. Chromatographic-mass spectrometric profiling was performed to identify the phytochemical compounds present in the extracts. Results: The ethanolic flower extract showed significant antifungal activity against Candida albicans in a dose-dependent manner. Zones of inhibition increased with concentration. MIC and IC₅₀ values indicated effective antifungal potential. Chromatographic-mass spectrometric profiling revealed the presence of the phytochemical compounds. Conclusion: Azadirachta indica flower extract exhibits promising antifungal properties against Candida species, supporting its traditional use in herbal medicine. The presence of multiple phytochemicals suggests potential for developing novel antifungal formulations.