Introduction: The rise inclinical resistance to antifungal therapy underscores the need to treat the disease by using natural drugs instead of synthetic drugs, which have lesser adverse effects and good patient response. Punicagranatum (pomegranate) has admirable medicinal value. This study aims to evaluate the invitro antifungal efficacy of Punicagranatum peel extract against oral Candida compared with clotrimazole.

Materials and Methods: An invitro study was carried outwith saliva which was collected from candidiasis patients and inoculated and cultured on 60 separate Sabourand Dextrose Agar plates and then incubated at 37ºC for 48 hours. Agar well-diffusion method was followed. Different concentrations of Punicagranatum peel extracts, ethanol solvent (control) and standard Clotrimazole were added into the wells and allowed to diffuse at room temperature for  two hours. The plates were incubated at 37°C for 48hrs. Mean diameter of zone of inhibition around the well in millimeters was measured.

Results: Antifungal efficaciesof Punicagranatum peel extract and Clotrimazole were statistically significant. Minimum inhibitory concentration of Punicagranatum peel extract approximated with that of Clotrimazole.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that Punicagranatum peel extract can used be as an effective natural substitute for synthetic antifungal agents.