Candicid Forte by Ortho Molecular Products

Purchase

Prescription

2 capsules, twice a day

Ingredients

Nutrition label for Candicid Forte by Ortho Molecular Products

Ortho Molecular Products has released an info sheet for Candicid Forte, outlining why they chose each ingredient.

Biotin, 300 mcg

PubMed search results

Starting at a low level, biotin is an essential cofactor for four human carboxylases, encompassing lipid synthesis, amino acid metabolism, and gluconeogenesis.

  1. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (acetyl-CoA -> malonyl-CoA)
  2. beta-Methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase (involved in leucine catabolism)
  3. Propionyl-CoA carboxylase (propionyl-CoA -> succinyl-CoA)
  4. Pyruvate carboxylase (formation of oxaloacetate from pyruvate)

Biotin prevents yeast, especially Candida albicans, from converting to its more invasive, mycelium state.

Biotin deficiency can lead to dermatitis and alopecia. The skin lesions often contain Candida albicans.

  • Mock D. M. (1991). Skin manifestations of biotin deficiency. Seminars in dermatology, 10(4), 296–302.

Serum biotin measurements are probably not going to tell you anything.

  • Abdel Rahman, S. H., Mohammed Salem, R., & Hassan Sabry, J. (2020). Biotin Deficiency in Telogen Effluvium: Fact or Fiction?. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 13(3), 37–40.

"After four days of oral biotin, 10 mg/per day, the metabolites in her urine were significantly reduced, suggesting a biotin-responsive multiple carboxylase deficiency."

  • Cowan, M. J., Wara, D. W., Packman, S., Ammann, A. J., Yoshino, M., Sweetman, L., & Nyhan, W. (1979). Multiple biotin-dependent carboxylase deficiencies associated with defects in T-cell and B-cell immunity. Lancet (London, England), 2(8134), 115–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(79)90002-3

"Biotin-dependent multiple carboxylase enzyme deficiency is associated with a chronic dermatitis, alopecia, ataxia, and secondary infection of the skin with Candida. The disorder responds promptly to the administration of biotin with correction of dermatologic, neurologic, and immunologic abnormalities."

Berberine Hydrochloride Hydrate, 150 mg

PubMed search results

"The effective anti-Candida principals were identified to be berberine, palmatine, allincin, pseudolaric acid A and B, magnolol, honokiol, and galangin."

  • Liu, X., Han, Y., Peng, K., Liu, Y., Li, J., & Liu, H. (2011). Effect of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs on Candida spp. from patients with HIV/AIDS. Advances in dental research, 23(1), 56–60. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034511399286

Berberine seems to be effective in managing chronic cardiometabolic disorders.

"[A]ntioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects."

  • Wang, K., Feng, X., Chai, L., Cao, S., & Qiu, F. (2017). The metabolism of berberine and its contribution to the pharmacological effects. Drug metabolism reviews, 49(2), 139–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/03602532.2017.1306544

Oregano Leaf Extract, 150 mg

PubMed search results

There's plenty of research left unread in these search results.

Could have antimicrobial effect. -Sung-Sook Chun, Dhiraj A. Vattem, Yuan-Tong Lin, Kalidas Shetty (2005). Phenolic antioxidants from clonal oregano (Origanum vulgare) with antimicrobial activity against Helicobacter pylori, 40(2), 809-816. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2004.02.018

"The most active [antifungal] of phenols was carvacrol [oregano]."

  • Tampieri, M. P., Galuppi, R., Macchioni, F., Carelle, M. S., Falcioni, L., Cioni, P. L., & Morelli, I. (2005). The inhibition of Candida albicans by selected essential oils and their major components. Mycopathologia, 159(3), 339–345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-003-4790-5

Sodium Caprylate, 150 mg

PubMed search results

Sodium caprylate is a salt of caprylic acid, also known as octanoic acid, C8:0. This is a medium-chain saturated fatty acid. A natural food source of this is coconut oil. It modifies ghrelin, an appetite stimulant, to make it work.

  • Lemarié, F., Beauchamp, E., Drouin, G., Legrand, P., & Rioux, V. (2018). Dietary caprylic acid and ghrelin O-acyltransferase activity to modulate octanoylated ghrelin functions: What is new in this nutritional field?. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids, 135, 121–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2018.07.009

It seems to assist in immune function for a host of infections... this poor patient.

  • Omura, Y., O'Young, B., Jones, M., Pallos, A., Duvvi, H., & Shimotsuura, Y. (2011). Caprylic acid in the effective treatment of intractable medical problems of frequent urination, incontinence, chronic upper respiratory infection, root canalled tooth infection, ALS, etc., caused by asbestos & mixed infections of Candida albicans, Helicobacter pylori & cytomegalovirus with or without other microorganisms & mercury. Acupuncture & electro-therapeutics research, 36(1-2), 19–64. https://doi.org/10.3727/036012911803860886

"[C]aprylic acid inhibited Candida mycelia growth at very low concentrations."

Cinnamon Bark Extract, 100 mg

PubMed search results

"Cinnamon contains derivatives, such as cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, cinnamate, and numerous other components such as polyphenols and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer effects."

"As proven in vitro, essential oils represent a cheap and effective antiseptic topical treatment option even for antibiotic-resistant strains as MRSA and antimycotic-resistant Candida species." This is a weird article, claiming "proof" and being from the Journal of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery.

  • Warnke, P. H., Becker, S. T., Podschun, R., Sivananthan, S., Springer, I. N., Russo, P. A., Wiltfang, J., Fickenscher, H., & Sherry, E. (2009). The battle against multi-resistant strains: Renaissance of antimicrobial essential oils as a promising force to fight hospital-acquired infections. Journal of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery : official publication of the European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, 37(7), 392–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcms.2009.03.017

"[T]hese inhalable vapours appear to approach the ideal chemotherapy for respiratory tract mycoses."

"[T]he cinnamon oil and pogostemon oil complexes had strong anti-fungus effects against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Candida krusei."

  • Wang, G. S., Deng, J. H., Ma, Y. H., Shi, M., & Li, B. (2012). Mechanisms, clinically curative effects, and antifungal activities of cinnamon oil and pogostemon oil complex against three species of Candida. Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan, 32(1), 19–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0254-6272(12)60026-0

German Chamomile (Flower), 100 mg

PubMed search results

"[T]he chamomile capsule [250 mg, 3 times a day] decreases the amount of menstrual bleeding and can be used as a therapeutic method."

  • Mollabashi, E. N., Ziaie, T., Bekhradi, R., & Khalesi, Z. B. (2020). Do Chamomile effect on duration, amount of bleeding, and interval of menstrual cycles?. Journal of pharmacopuncture, 23(1), 25–29. https://doi.org/10.3831/KPI.2020.23.004

In 2006: "Chamomile has moderate antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, and significant antiplatelet activity in vitro. Animal model studies indicate potent antiinflammatory action, some antimutagenic and cholesterol-lowering activities, as well as antispasmotic and anxiolytic effects. However, human studies are limited, and clinical trials examining the purported sedative properties of chamomile tea are absent."

  • McKay, D. L., & Blumberg, J. B. (2006). A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of chamomile tea (Matricaria recutita L.). Phytotherapy research : PTR, 20(7), 519–530. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1900

"[Pickering nanoemulsion of chamomile essential oil] showed significantly higher antibacterial and antifungal activities than [two other preparations]." This article is comparing different preparations, so not sure if the actual antimicrobial effects are significant.

  • Das, S., Horváth, B., Šafranko, S., Jokić, S., Széchenyi, A., & Kőszegi, T. (2019). Antimicrobial Activity of Chamomile Essential Oil: Effect of Different Formulations. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 24(23), 4321. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24234321

Ginger Root, 100 mg

PubMed search results

The research here is terrible. I'm not finding much.

"[T]he growth of those bacteria, cultured in the media containing the crude juices of fresh green tea leaves and common ginger root, was poor and these bacteria did not proliferate."

  • Daiji MANO (1963). Studies on the Inhibitory Action of Plant Components on the Growth of Bacteria IV. An Experimental Study on Bacterial Growth Inhibitory Action of Components of Green Tea Leaves and Common Ginger Root. 18(5), 209-212. https://doi.org/10.3412/jsb.18.209

Pau D'Arco Inner Bark Extract, 100 mg

PubMed search results

Pau D'Arco (Tabebuia avellanedae, pink trumpet tree) appears to be anti-Candida when extracted with methanol.

  • Höfling, J. F., Anibal, P. C., Obando-Pereda, G. A., Peixoto, I. A., Furletti, V. F., Foglio, M. A., & Gonçalves, R. B. (2010). Antimicrobial potential of some plant extracts against Candida species. Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia, 70(4), 1065–1068. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1519-69842010000500022

Rosemary Leaf Extract, 100 mg

PubMed search results

Does some good things for the blood vessels of rats.

  • Afonso, M. S., de O Silva, A. M., Carvalho, E. B., Rivelli, D. P., Barros, S. B., Rogero, M. M., Lottenberg, A. M., Torres, R. P., & Mancini-Filho, J. (2013). Phenolic compounds from Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) attenuate oxidative stress and reduce blood cholesterol concentrations in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats. Nutrition & metabolism, 10(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-10-19

"Our data indicate that rosemary extract has the potential to counteract the palmitate-induced muscle cell insulin resistance."

  • Vlavcheski, F., & Tsiani, E. (2018). Attenuation of Free Fatty Acid-Induced Muscle Insulin Resistance by Rosemary Extract. Nutrients, 10(11), 1623. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10111623