BackgroundCandidiasis is the most common opportunistic fungal infections. Side effects after taking current antifungal agents, resistance development to these drugs, and treatment failures are particular problems in the treatment of candidiasis. Salvia rhytidea Benth (S. rhytideaBenth) has shown significant biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, cytotoxic, antifungal, anti-tumor, digestive and healing, and anti-proliferative effects. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activities of different fractions of Salvia rhytidea Benth as a valuable medicinal plant against different Candida species in Kerman province (Southeast of Iran). Materials and methodsIn this study, antifungal activities of methanolic, petroleum ether, aqueous, and chloroform fractions of S. rhytidea Benth were evaluated against different Candida spp. compared with nystatin and crude extract of S. rhytidea Benth. ResultsIn this study, MIC and MFC values for the methanolic fraction of S. rhytideaBenth on tested Candida spp. ranged from 62.25 to 250 μg/ml and 500 to 2000 μg/ml, respectively; MIC and MFC values of chloroform fraction of S. rhytidea Benth ranged from 250 to 500 μg/ml and 500 to 2000 μg/ml, respectively; MIC and MFC values of petroleum ether fraction of S. rhytidea Benth ranged from 125 to 500 μg/ml and 500 to 2000 μg/ml, respectively; MIC and MFC values of aqueous fractions of S. rhytidea Benth ranged from 250 to 1000 μg/ml and 250 to > 2000 μg/ml, respectively; MIC and MFC values of crude extract of S. rhytidea Benth were from 15.625 to 125 μg/ml and 31.25 to 2000 μg/ml, respectively; and MIC and MFC values of nystatin ranged from 16 to 64 μg/ml and 16 to 128 μg/ml, respectively. As well as, C. albicans showed the highest susceptibility to methanolic fraction and crude extract of S. rhytidea Benth. C. glabrata was more susceptible to petroleum ether of S. rhytidea Benth and nystatin. C. parapsilosis displayed the highest susceptibility to an aqueous fraction of S. rhytidea Benth. C. krusei and C. glabrata were most susceptible to chloroform fraction of S. rhytidea Benth. ConclusionAll tested fractions had antifungal effects on Candida spp. but less than nystatin. In this study, methanolic fraction of S. rhytidea Benth showed the highest antifungal activity against most Candida species among the other fractions. Except for C. parapsilosis, the aqueous fraction of S. rhytidea Benth had the least antifungal effect.