Allium sativum Extract Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity and Antifungal Effect against Meyerozyma guilliermondii and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa Causing Onychomycosis.

Marcel Pârvu,Leander Stoeber,Adrian B Ţigu,Cristina Mircea,Oana Roşca-Casian,Alina E Pârvu,Cătălin A Moţ

doi:10.3390/molecules24213958

Abstract

Onychomycosis is a major health problem due to its chronicity and resistance to therapy. Because some cases associate paronychia, any therapy must target the fungus and the inflammation. Medicinal plants represent an alternative for onychomycosis control. In the present work the antifungal and antioxidant activities of Alium sativum extract against Meyerozyma guilliermondii (Wick.) Kurtzman & M. Suzuki and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (A. Jörg.) F.C. Harrison, isolated for the first time from a toenail onychomycosis case, were investigated. The fungal species were confirmed by DNA molecular analysis. A. sativum minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and ultrastructural effects were examined. At the MIC concentration (120 mg/mL) the micrographs indicated severe structural alterations with cell death. The antioxidant properties of the A. sativum extract were evaluated is a rat turpentine oil induced inflammation, and compared to an anti-inflammatory drug, diclofenac, and the main compound from the extract, allicin. A. sativum reduced serum total oxidative status, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide production, and increased total thiols. The effects were comparable to those of allicin and diclofenac. In conclusion, the garlic extract had antifungal effects against M. guilliermondii and R. mucilaginosa, and antioxidant effect in turpentine-induced inflammation. Together, the antifungal and antioxidant activities support that A. sativum is a potential alternative treatment in onychomycosis.

Highlights

Onychomycosis is a worldwide common nail fungal infection causing nail white or yellow discoloration, thickening, and separation from the nail bed [1]
Only gentisic acid, chlorogenic acid, 4-hydrobenzoic acid, and p-coumaric acid were found above the limit of quantification (LOQ), but no flavonoid was detected
The data showed that the studied extract contains much more thiosulfinates (443 μg/g allicin equivalents) compared with phenolic acids

Summary

Introduction

Onychomycosis is a worldwide common nail fungal infection causing nail white or yellow discoloration, thickening, and separation from the nail bed [1]. Common pathogens in onychomycosis are dermatophytes, non-dermatophyte molds (NDM) and yeasts [2]. The International Society for Molecules 2019, 24, 3958; doi:10.3390/molecules24213958 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules. Human and Animal Mycology proposed that the diagnosis of onychomycosis should be replaced by tinea unguium in infections with dermatophyte, by onyxis in infections with yeasts, by ungual candidiasis in infections with Candida, and by ungual mycosis when the infection is a NDM [3]. Tinea unguium are caused mostly by three genera Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton, and fungal infections by Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum are the most frequent worldwide. Among the yeasts Candida species are the most common [2].

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