scholarly journals Artemisinins, New Miconazole Potentiators Resulting in Increased Activity against Candida albicans Biofilms

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 421-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaat De Cremer ◽  
Ellen Lanckacker ◽  
Tanne L. Cools ◽  
Marijke Bax ◽  
Katrijn De Brucker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Drug Repositioning ◽  
Antibiofilm Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Structural Homologues ◽  
Increased Activity ◽  
Candida Albicans Biofilms ◽  
Concentration Indices

ABSTRACTMucosal biofilm-related fungal infections are very common, and the incidence of recurrent oral and vulvovaginal candidiasis is significant. As resistance to azoles (the preferred treatment) is occurring, we aimed at identifying compounds that increase the activity of miconazole againstCandida albicansbiofilms. We screened 1,600 compounds of a drug-repositioning library in combination with a subinhibitory concentration of miconazole. Synergy between the best identified potentiators and miconazole was characterized by checkerboard analyses and fractional inhibitory concentration indices. Hexachlorophene, pyrvinium pamoate, and artesunate act synergistically with miconazole in affectingC. albicansbiofilms. Synergy was most pronounced for artesunate and structural homologues thereof. No synergistic effect could be observed between artesunate and fluconazole, caspofungin, or amphotericin B. Our data reveal enhancement of the antibiofilm activity of miconazole by artesunate, pointing to potential combination therapy consisting of miconazole and artesunate to treatC. albicansbiofilm-related infections.

scholarly journals Biofabricated Silver Nanoparticles Synergistically Activate Amphotericin B Against Mature Biofilm Forms of Candida Albicans

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shivkrupa D. Halbandge ◽  
Supriya P. Mortale ◽  
Sankunny Mohan Karuppayil
Keyword(s):  
Silver Nanoparticles ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Amphotericin B ◽  
Hemolytic Activity ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Fractional Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Planktonic Growth ◽  
Concentration Indices

Background: Biofilm formation by Candida albicans is a significant clinical challenge. Fungal biofilms are resistant to most of the currently available antifungal agents. Amphotericin-B (AmB) is an antifungal agent used for the treatment of systematic fungal infections but it is well known for its toxicities and side-effects. Novel approaches are needed to treat these infections that can reduce its toxicities. Objectives: Current study aims to evaluate the efficacy of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) alone and in combination with AmB against growth and biofilm formation in C. albicans. Methods: Combinations of SNP-AmB were tested against planktonic growth and biofilm formation in vitro. Micro broth dilution method was used to study planktonic growth and biofilm formation. The fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICI) were calculated by using a checkerboard format. Biofilm formation was analyzed by using XTT-metabolic assay. Results: MIC of AmB for developing biofilm was lowered by 16 fold in combination with SNPs. The calculated fractional inhibitory concentration indices were 0.1875 suggesting that this interaction is synergistic. Similarly, the mature biofilms were significantly prevented by SNPs-AmB combination. This interaction was synergistic. Furthermore, interaction between SNPs and AmB against planktonic growth was additive. Hemolytic activity assay was carried out on these drugs and combinations. Drug required for inhibition alone as well as in combination did not exhibit hemolytic activity. Conclusion: The combinations with SNPs lead to decreases in the dosage of AmB required for anti-Candida activity. SNPs-AmB combination could be an effective strategy against biofilm formed by C. albicans.

Antifungal efficacy of atorvastatin-containing emulgel in the treatment of oral and vulvovaginal candidiasis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ari Soares de Oliveira Neto ◽  
Israel Lucas Antunes Souza ◽  
Maria Eliza Samuel Amorim ◽  
Thalita de Freitas Souza ◽  
Vinicius Novaes Rocha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Antifungal Activity ◽  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Drug Repositioning ◽  
Oral Candidiasis ◽  
Vulvovaginal Candidiasis ◽  
Antifungal Drugs ◽  
Sterol Synthesis ◽  
In Vitro Tests

Abstract Drug repositioning has been an important ally in the search for new antifungal drugs. Statins are drugs that act to prevent sterol synthesis in both humans and fungi and for this reason they are promissory candidates to be repositioned to treat mycoses. In this study we evaluated the antifungal activity of atorvastatin by in vitro tests to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration against azole resistant Candida albicans and its mechanisms of action. Moreover, the efficacy of both atorvastatin-loaded oral and vaginal emulgels (0.75%, 1.5% and 3% w/w) was evaluated by means of in vivo experimental models of oral and vulvovaginal candidiasis, respectively. The results showed that atorvastatin minimal inhibitory concentration against C. albicans was 31.25 μg/ml. In oral candidiasis experiments, the group treated with oral emulgel containing 3.0% atorvastatin showcased total reduction in fungal load after nine days of treatment. Intravaginal delivery atorvastatin emulgel showed considerable effectiveness at the concentration of 3% (65% of fungal burden reduction) after nine days of treatment. From these findings, it is possible to assert that atorvastatin may be promising for drug repositioning towards the treatment of these opportunistic mycoses. Lay Summary Atorvastatin is a statin drug that presents antifungal activity. This study showed that atorvastatin-containing oral and vaginal emulgels were able to treat vulvovaginal and oral candidiasis of infected animal model. Therefore, we showcased that atorvastatin may be a possible therapeutic agent in order to be a used to control opportunistic mucosal fungal infections caused by Candida albicans.

scholarly journals ANTI-CANDIDA ALBICANS ACTIVITY OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CITRONELAL WITH ANFOTERICIN B OR WITH CETOCONAZOLE

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (31) ◽  
pp. 250-257
Author(s):  
Patrícia Duarte Costa SILVA ◽  
Brenda Lavínia Calixto dos SANTOS ◽  
Gustavo Lima SOARES ◽  
Wylly Araújo de OLIVEIRA
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Antifungal Activity ◽  
Amphotericin B ◽  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Isolated Species

Fungal infections caused by species of the genus Candida are responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates, mainly affecting immunocompromised individuals. Among fungi, Candida albicans is the most frequently isolated species of clinical specimens. A problem associated with increased resistance of pathogenic fungi to the agents used in the therapeutic regimen and the limited number of drugs to cure these infections. As a result, the search for new drugs with antifungal activity has become increasingly important. The aim of this study is to study the antifungal activity of citronellal alone and in combination with amphotericin B or ketoconazole. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration of citronellal, amphotericin B and ketoconazole against strains of Candida albicans were evaluated by the microdilution technique, and the Minimum Fungicide Concentration of citronellal against the same strains was also performed. Through the checkerboard methodology the effect of the combination of citronelal with amphotericin B or with ketoconazole was determined. This study showed that the association of citronellal with ketoconazole was shown to be an additive against one of the strains of C. albicans and indifferent to another strain. While the combined activity of citronellal and amphotericin B demonstrated an indifferent effect on the strains tested.

scholarly journals Combination of Miconazole and Domiphen Bromide Is Fungicidal against Biofilms of Resistant Candida spp.

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Tits ◽  
Freya Cools ◽  
Kaat De Cremer ◽  
Katrijn De Brucker ◽  
Judith Berman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Vulvovaginal Candidiasis ◽  
Antibiofilm Activity ◽  
Ammonium Compound ◽  
Candida Spp ◽  
Vaginal Infections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Of Resistance

ABSTRACT The occurrence and recurrence of mucosal biofilm-related Candida infections, such as oral and vulvovaginal candidiasis, are serious clinical issues. Vaginal infections caused by Candida spp., for example, affect 70 to 75% of women at least once during their lives. Miconazole (MCZ) is the preferred topical treatment against these fungal infections, yet it has only moderate antibiofilm activity. Through screening of a drug-repurposing library, we identified the quaternary ammonium compound domiphen bromide (DB) as an MCZ potentiator against Candida biofilms. DB displayed synergistic anti-Candida albicans biofilm activity with MCZ, reducing the number of viable biofilm cells 1,000-fold. In addition, the MCZ-DB combination also resulted in significant killing of biofilm cells of azole-resistant C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. auris isolates. In vivo, the MCZ-DB combination had significantly improved activity in a vulvovaginal candidiasis rat model compared to that of single-compound treatments. Data from an artificial evolution experiment indicated that the development of resistance against the combination did not occur, highlighting the potential of MCZ-DB combination therapy to treat Candida biofilm-related infections.

scholarly journals The The Effects of Cinnamaldehyde (Cinnamon Derivatives) and Nystatin on Candida Albicans and Candida Glabrata

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 1067-1070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sedigheh Bakhtiari ◽  
Soudeh Jafari ◽  
Jamileh Bigom Taheri ◽  
Tahereh Sadat Jafarzadeh Kashi ◽  
Zahra Namazi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Minimum Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Candida Species ◽  
Candida Glabrata ◽  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Fungal Growth ◽  
Minimum Fungicidal Concentration ◽  
Microdilution Method

BACKGROUND: Candida species are the most common opportunistic fungal infections. Today, cinnamon plants have been considered for anti-Candida properties. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cinnamaldehyde extract (from cinnamon derivatives) on Candida albicans and Candida glabrata species and comparison with nystatin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, cinnamaldehyde and nystatin were used. The specimens included Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were measured for each one by the microdilution method. This experiment was repeated three times. RESULTS: Cinnamaldehyde extract at a concentration of 62.5 μl/ml was able to prevent the growth of Candida albicans, at a concentration of 93.7 μl/ml, causing Candida albicans to disappear, at 48.8 μl/ml, to prevent the growth of Candida glabrata, and in the concentration of 62.5 μl/ml, causes the loss of Candida glabrata. In comparison, nystatin at 0.5 μg/ml concentration prevented the growth of Candida albicans, at concentrations of 1 μg/ml causing Candida albicans to be destroyed, at 4 μg/ml concentration to prevent the growth of Candida glabrata, and at a concentration of 8 μg/ml causes the loss of Candida glabrata. The results were the same every three times. CONCLUSIONS: Although cinnamaldehyde extract had an effect on fungal growth in both Candida albicans and Candida glabrata with a fatal effect; the effect on these two species was lower than nystatin.

scholarly journals MIG1Regulates Resistance of Candida albicans against the Fungistatic Effect of Weak Organic Acids

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 1054-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabien Cottier ◽  
Alrina Shin Min Tan ◽  
Xiaoli Xu ◽  
Yue Wang ◽  
Norman Pavelka
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Organic Acids ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Glucose Repression ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Human Microbiome ◽  
Fungal Resistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Weak Organic Acids ◽  
Fungistatic Effect

ABSTRACTCandida albicansis the leading cause of fungal infections; but it is also a member of the human microbiome, an ecosystem of thousands of microbial species potentially influencing the outcome of host-fungal interactions. Accordingly, antibacterial therapy raises the risk of candidiasis, yet the underlying mechanism is currently not fully understood. We hypothesize the existence of bacterial metabolites that normally controlC. albicansgrowth and of fungal resistance mechanisms against these metabolites. Among the most abundant microbiota-derived metabolites found on human mucosal surfaces are weak organic acids (WOAs), such as acetic, propionic, butyric, and lactic acid. Here, we used quantitative growth assays to investigate the dose-dependent fungistatic properties of WOAs onC. albicansgrowth and found inhibition of growth to occur at physiologically relevant concentrations and pH values. This effect was conserved across distantly related fungal species both inside and outside the CTG clade. We next screened a library of transcription factor mutants and identified several genes required for the resistance ofC. albicansto one or more WOAs. A single gene,MIG1, previously known for its role in glucose repression, conferred resistance against all four acids tested. Consistent with glucose being an upstream activator of Mig1p, the presence of this carbon source was required for WOA resistance in wild-typeC. albicans. Conversely, aMIG1-complemented strain completely restored the glucose-dependent resistance against WOAs. We conclude that Mig1p plays a central role in orchestrating a transcriptional program to fight against the fungistatic effect of this class of highly abundant metabolites produced by the gastrointestinal tract microbiota.

scholarly journals Intravital Imaging of Candida albicans Identifies Differential In Vitro and In Vivo Filamentation Phenotypes for Transcription Factor Deletion Mutants

mSphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rohan S. Wakade ◽  
Manning Huang ◽  
Aaron P. Mitchell ◽  
Melanie Wellington ◽  
Damian J. Krysan
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Deletion Mutants ◽  
Filamentous Form ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Yeast Form ◽  
Common Causes ◽  
Do So

Candida albicans is one of the most common causes of fungal infections in humans. C. albicans undergoes a transition from a round yeast form to a filamentous form during infection, which is critical for its ability to cause disease. Although this transition has been studied in the laboratory for years, methods to do so in an animal model of infection have been limited.

scholarly journals Clinical Candida albicans Vaginal Isolates and a Laboratory Strain Show Divergent Behaviors during Macrophage Interactions

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Gerwien ◽  
Christine Dunker ◽  
Philipp Brandt ◽  
Enrico Garbe ◽  
Ilse D. Jacobsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Laboratory Strain ◽  
Infection Process ◽  
Vulvovaginal Candidiasis ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
Host Pathogen Interactions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Host Pathogen

ABSTRACT Typically, established lab strains are widely used to study host-pathogen interactions. However, to better reflect the infection process, the experimental use of clinical isolates has come more into focus. Here, we analyzed the interaction of multiple vaginal isolates of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans, the most common cause of vulvovaginal candidiasis in women, with key players of the host immune system: macrophages. We tested several strains isolated from asymptomatic or symptomatic women with acute and recurrent infections. While all clinical strains showed a response similar to the commonly used lab strain SC5314 in various in vitro assays, they displayed remarkable differences during interaction with macrophages. This coincided with significantly reduced β-glucan exposure on the cell surface, which appeared to be a shared property among the tested vaginal strains for yeast extract/peptone/dextrose-grown cells, which is partly lost when the isolates faced vaginal niche-like nutrient conditions. However, macrophage damage, survival of phagocytosis, and filamentation capacities were highly strain-specific. These results highlight the high heterogeneity of C. albicans strains in host-pathogen interactions, which have to be taken into account to bridge the gap between laboratory-gained data and disease-related outcomes in an actual patient. IMPORTANCE Vulvovaginal candidiasis is one of the most common fungal infections in humans with Candida albicans as the major causative agent. This study is the first to compare clinical vaginal isolates of defined patient groups in their interaction with macrophages, highlighting the vastly different outcomes in comparison to a laboratory strain using commonly applied virulence-determining assays.

scholarly journals Synergistic Effects of Amiodarone and Fluconazole on Candida tropicalis Resistant to Fluconazole

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 1691-1700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecília Rocha da Silva ◽  
João Batista de Andrade Neto ◽  
José Júlio Costa Sidrim ◽  
Maria Rozzelê Ferreira Ângelo ◽  
Hemerson Iury Ferreira Magalhães ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Tropicalis ◽  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Antifungal Drugs ◽  
Cross Resistance ◽  
Combination Drug ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Drug Of Choice

ABSTRACTThere have recently been significant increases in the prevalence of systemic invasive fungal infections. However, the number of antifungal drugs on the market is limited in comparison to the number of available antibacterial drugs. This fact, coupled with the increased frequency of cross-resistance, makes it necessary to develop new therapeutic strategies. Combination drug therapies have become one of the most widely used and effective strategies to alleviate this problem. Amiodarone (AMD) is classically used for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and is the drug of choice for patients with arrhythmia. Recent studies have shown broad antifungal activity of the drug when administered in combination with fluconazole (FLC). In the present study, we induced resistance to fluconazole in six strains ofCandida tropicalisand evaluated potential synergism between fluconazole and amiodarone. The evaluation of drug interaction was determined by calculating the fractional inhibitory concentration and by performing flow cytometry. We conclude that amiodarone, when administered in combination with fluconazole, exhibits activity against strains ofC. tropicalisthat are resistant to fluconazole, which most likely occurs via changes in the integrity of the yeast cell membrane and the generation of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and DNA damage that could lead to cell death by apoptosis.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document