Antifungal effect of polymeric films containing the essential oil of Schinus terebinthifolius on Candida albicans biofilms

Abstract

Introduction: Candida albicans is a commensal microorganism in humans, which can cause oral candidiasis in people with immune deficiencies or ill-fitting dentures. C. albicans is becoming more resistant to the drugs used in its treatment, causing the need for the development of new drugs, which would not damage the host´s cells. There are many studies on the antimicrobial activity of the leaves, stem and roots of Schinus terebinthifolius, with few studies about its fruits. The aim of this study was to investigate the antifungal effect of polymeric films of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) containing the essential oil of the fruits of S. terebinthifolius against biofilms of C. albicans.
 Materials and methods: The oil was prepared from the fruits of S. terebinthifolius and incorporated into polymeric films of HPMC using concentrations of 0.146, 0.073 e 0.037 g.mL-1. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by micro dilution, wherein the minimum inhibitory concentration was 0.78 %. The antifungal effect of the films was tested using agar in petri dishes and acrylic resin blocks, both contaminated with C. albicans.
 Results: The polymeric films containing the essential oil had average inhibition zones of 24 mm, 21 mm and 20 mm for the concentrations 0.037, 0.073 and 0.146 g.mL-1, respectively.
 Conclusion: The treated resin blocks showed no fungal growth afterwards, with the exception of the control blocks. The use of antimicrobial films containing natural products like S. terebinthifolius in the treatment of diseases such as oral candidiasis associated to prosthetic seems promising decreasing the possibility of side effects.