Antifungal effects of alantolactone onCandida albicans:anin vitrostudy

Abstract

The human fungal pathogen Candida albicans can cause many kinds of infections, including biofilm infections on medical devices, while the available antifungal drugs are limited to only a few. In this study, alantolactone (Ala) demonstrated antifungal activities against C. albicans, as well as other Candida species, with a MIC of 72 μg/mL. Ala could also inhibit the adhesion, yeast-to-hyphal transition, biofilm formation and development of C. albicans. The exopolysaccharide of biofilm matrix and extracellular phospholipase production could also be reduced by Ala treatment. Ala could increase permeability of C. albicans cell membrane and ROS contribute to the antifungal activity of Ala. Overall, the present study suggests that Ala may provide a promising candidate for developing antifungal drugs against C. albicans infections.

Back to the Roots—An Overview of the Chemical Composition and Bioactivity of Selected Root-Essential Oils

“…The inhibition of the virulence factors of C. albicans by ALT was revealed just recently for the first time, and 18–72 µg/mL of ALT could exert disruptive effects on preformed biofilms, underlining the potential of these compounds. It is stated that the antifungal effects of ALT against C. albicans and several other Candida species may involve increased cell membrane permeability and ROS production [ 187 ]. Another recent study confirmed the antifungal properties of elecampane EO by indicating considerable inhibitory effects (MICs = 50–100 μg/mL) against C. albicans , C. glabrata , C. kruzey , C. parapsilosis , S. cerevisiae , and A. niger .…”

Alantolactone: A sesquiterpene lactone with diverse pharmacological effects

“…Furthermore, Ala can inhibit the formation and development of C. albicans biofilms, which are responsible for catheter-related infections that are calcitrant to current antifungals. The mechanisms involve reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and cell membrane damages (Liu et al, 2021). This was also indirectly confirmed by the latest report that the Ala-containing I. helenium root essential oil inhibits C. albicans growth, biofilm, phospholipase production, and germ-tube formation and that the cell membrane function was influenced by the essential oil (Stojanović-Radić et al, 2020).…”