Antifungal activity of four commercially available intense sweeteners against candida albicans - An In vitro study

Abstract

Background: Increase in the sucrose consumption has resulted in increased prevalence of many diseases like diabetes, cardiac diseases, renal diseases, atherosclerosis, dental caries, periodontal disease, oral candidiasis, etc. , Various intense sweeteners are available over the counter and are gaining immense popularity. Oral candidiasis is one of the most common opportunistic infections of the oral cavity. Objective: ( 1) To evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of four commercially available intense sweeteners against Candida albicans . (2) To assess the minimum inhibitory concentration of these sweeteners against C. albicans. Materials and Methods: Four commercially available intense sweeteners, namely Sweetex ® , Sugarfree gold ® , Sugarfree natura ® , and So sweet ® , were obtained and powdered. Necessary concentrations of the sweeteners were prepared by mixing them with an inert solvent. The antimicrobial efficacy was assessed using agar well diffusion technique. The minimum inhibitory concentration was analyzed using the serial tube dilution technique. Statistical analysis was done using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post-hoc test. P Results: All the four sweeteners showed significant antifungal activity, with So sweet ® showing the maximum activity and the least minimum inhibitory concentration. Sweetex ® and Sugarfree gold ® demonstrated comparable antifungal activity significantly lower than Sugarfree natura ® . Conclusion: All the sweeteners used in this study have demonstrated significant antifungal activity. With the proved antibacterial and anti/noncariogenic properties and safety, these sweeteners could be recommended as an ideal alternative to sucrose.