Cajuput Candy to Inhibit the Growth of Candida Albicans
Some people felt slightly strange when they heard some cough drops include eucalyptus oil. “Cajuputs candy” with eucalyptus oil is one of functional confectionery successfully launched as a commercial product by one of the professors Chair Holders of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology of Bogor Agricultural University (FATETA IPB), Prof. Dr. C. Hanny Wijaya. This candy is available in various outlets managed by IPB, and lately this product even has become a typical souvenir IPB.
Prof. Hanny continues to develop her product. Together with A. Fieki Rachmatillah (IPB) and Boy Bachtiar (University of Indonesia), she carried out further research related to the efficacy of this eucalyptus candy. The title of his research is " Penghambatan Cajuput Candy terhadap Viabilitas Khamir Candida Albicans secara In Vitro (In Vitro Inhibition of Cajuput Candy on the Vulnerability of Candida albicans)".
The Candida albicans yeast is a normal part of your gut flora, a group of microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. The presence of C. albicans causes an infection that ultimately causes canker sores. At this point it can begin to affect your digestion, weaken your immune system, and even damage your intestinal wall, allowing its toxic byproducts to escape into your bloodstream and spread throughout your body. However, a diet rich in sugar works to depress your immune system, leaving it vulnerable and allowing the Candida yeast to proliferate. The infection it causes is called candidiasis, it is a fungal infection due to any type of Candida (a type of yeast). When it affects the mouth, it is commonly called thrush.
“Cajuputs candy” has been produced characterized by local, cheap, practical, easy and healthy ingredients. The “Cajuputs candy” is made from volatile oil from eucalyptus plants as its raw material (supplied from Buru Island), water, glucose syrup, and a mixture of essential oils Pappermint (Brataco Chemical LTD.) an agent is used to inhibit microbial growth
Eucalyptus essential oil has wonderful multi-faceted medicinal properties. So it's not surprising that it's used widely in many over-the-counter products available at your local grocery store or pharmacy including chest rubs for colds and congestion, cough and cold medicines, sore throat sprays, mouthwashes, inhalers, soaps, rash creams and topical pain relievers, just to name a few. The research using the eucalyptus-white sweets diluted with varying concentrations of eucalyptus oil and water and peppermint and water mixtures showed that the eucalyptus sweets that had been given lower diluted eucalyptus oil (0.7% concentration) could form a coating that could inhibit growth c. albicans in vitro (laboratory scale). However, a combined solution of eucalyptus oil and peppermint to sweets worked better effect compared to mix each component separately.
"To reduce the amount or to increase 0.1% eucalyptus oil concentration in cajuput candy standard has neither significant effect on growth inhibition of c. albicans nor on the level of sensory acceptance to taste, aroma and all attributes. Provision of greater concentration can improve the quality of sensory reception of sweets ". Said Prof. Dr. C. Hanny Wijaya. (Wied)
