Background and Objective:
The present paper aims to study the inhibition of Candida
albicans growth as candidiasis treatment, using seeds of Lepidium sativum as source.
Methods:
In vitro assays were carried out on the antifungal activity of three kinds of extracts from
L. sativum seeds against four strains of C. albicans, then testing the same phytochemicals on the
inhibition of Lipase (LCR). A new in silico study was achieved using molecular docking, with
Autodock vina program, to find binding affinity of two important and major lepidine alkaloids
(lepidine E and B) towards the four enzymes secreted by C. albicans as target drugs, responsible
of vitality and virulence of this yeast cells: Lipase, Serine/threonine phosphatase, Phosphomannose
isomerase and Sterol 14-alpha demethylase (CYP51).
Results:
The results of the microdillution assay show that the hexanic and alkaloidal extracts have an
antifungal activity with MICs: 2.25 mg/ml and 4.5mg/ml, respectively. However, Candida rugosa
lipase assay gives a remarkable IC50 values for the hexanic extract (1.42± 0.04 mg/ml) followed by 1.7±
0.1 and 2.29 ± 0.09 mg/ml of ethyl acetate and alkaloidal extracts respectively. The molecular docking
confirms a significant correlation between C. albicans growth and inhibition of crucial enzymes involved
in the invasion mechanism and cellular metabolisms, for the first time there were an interesting and new
positive results on binding modes of lepidine E and B on the four studied enzymes.
Conclusion:
Through this work, we propose Lepidine B & E as potent antifungal drugs.
Biochemical Analysis and Application of Molecular Display Technology on Candida albicans for Diagnosing and Preventing Candidiasis
