Fungicidal activity of latex sap from Carica papaya and antifungal effect of d(+)‐glucosamine on Candida albicans growth

Abstract

Carica papaya latex sap inhibits the growth of Candida albicans when added to a culture during the exponential growth phase. Approximately 60% was achieved. This fungistatic effect is the result of cell wall degradation due to a lack of polysaccharidic constituents in the outermost layers of the fungal cell wall and release of cell debris into the culture medium. When C. albicans was cultured on medium supplemented with D(+)-glucosamine, an inhibitor of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, growth was inhibited (34%) in a similar manner. Addition of D(+)-glucosamine during the exponential growth phase also had a fungistatic effect (26%). The modes of action of C. papaya latex and of D(+)-glucosamine in cell wall breakdown are discussed.

Medicinal plants used by Tanzanian traditional healers in the management of Candida infections

“…Others are Salvadora persica (Al-Bagieh et al, 1994), Balanites aegyptiaca (Saeed et al, 1995), Ocimum suave . Clutia abyssinica , Zanha africana (Fabry et al, 1996), Carica papaya (Giordani et al, 1991(Giordani et al, , 1996(Giordani et al, , 1997, Ozoroa insignis (Abreu et al, 1999) and Combretum molle (Khan et al, 2000).…”

“…The fruit of the plant from Angola is used for eczema and psoriasis (Bossard, 1993). The extracts of fruits, roots, latex and leaves of the plant from different countries were active against a number of microorganisms, including Candida albicans and other species of Candida and other fungi (Emeruwa et al, 1982;Gundidza, 1986;Caceres et al, 1995;Giordani et al, 1991Giordani et al, , 1996Giordani et al, , 1997.…”

Investigations on the essential oil of Lippia rugosa from Cameroon for its potential use as antifungal agent against Aspergillus flavus Link ex. Fries

“…Such modifications induced by essential oils may be related to the interference of essential oil components with enzymatic reactions of wall synthesis, which affects fungal morphogenesis and growth. Cell wall degradation due to a lack of polysaccharide constituents of the fungal wall has also been observed on Candida albicans cells treated with Carica papaya latex sap (Giordani, Cardenas, Moulin-Traffort, & Reglip, 1996).…”

Anti-fertility effects of fractions from Carica papaya (Pawpaw) Linn. methanol root extract in male Wistar rats

“…papaya latex has been shown to have activity against C. albicans (Giordani et al, 1996), Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Satrija et al, 1995), Ascaris suum and Ascaridia galli (Satrija et al, 1994). Aqueous extract of C. papaya roots have shown potential activity in the management of dengue fever (Nisar et al, 2011), antitumor and immune-modulatory activities (Otsuki et al, 2010), hepatitis and jaundice in children.…”