Abstract
Oral candidiasis is an opportunistic fungal infection of the oral cavity with increasingly worldwide prevalence and incidence rates. Novel specifically-targeted strategies to manage this ailment have been proposed using essential oils (EO) known to have antifungal properties. In this study, we aim to investigate the antifungal activity and mode of action of the EO from Coriandrum sativum L. (coriander) leaves on Candida spp. In addition, we detected the molecular targets affected in whole-genome expression in human cells. The EO phytochemical profile indicates monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes as major components, which are likely to negatively impact the viability of yeast cells. There seems to be a synergistic activity of the EO chemical compounds as their isolation into fractions led to a decreased antimicrobial effect. C. sativum EO may bind to membrane ergosterol, increasing ionic permeability and causing membrane damage leading to cell death, but it does not act on cell wall biosynthesis-related pathways. This mode of action is illustrated by photomicrographs showing disruption in biofilm integrity caused by the EO at varied concentrations. The EO also inhibited Candida biofilm adherence to a polystyrene substrate at low concentrations, and decreased the proteolytic activity of Candida albicans at minimum inhibitory concentration. Finally, the EO and its selected active fraction had low cytotoxicity on human cells, with putative mechanisms affecting gene expression in pathways involving chemokines and MAP-kinase (proliferation/apoptosis), as well as adhesion proteins. These findings highlight the potential antifungal activity of the EO from C. sativum leaves and suggest avenues for future translational toxicological research.
Highlights
Oral candidiasis is a common opportunistic fungal infection of the oral cavity with worldwide prevalence and incidence rates increasing in the last several decades, among the populations of HIV-immunocompromised and hospitalized individuals [1]
Essential Oil and Fraction Yields C. sativum essential oils (EO) yield, expressed in relation to dry weight of plant material (%, w/w), was found to be 0.29%, while the active fraction yield expressed as a function of the EO yield (%, w/w) was 7.5%
Phytochemical Analysis by Gas Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) The chemical composition of the EO and its active fraction is shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively
Summary
Oral candidiasis is a common opportunistic fungal infection of the oral cavity with worldwide prevalence and incidence rates increasing in the last several decades, among the populations of HIV-immunocompromised and hospitalized individuals [1]. The number of synthetic antifungal compounds and classes of therapeutic agents available to treat candidiasis has been increasing in recent decades, including polyenes, azoles, purine analogues and echinocandins [4]. The increased resistance of pathogens to synthetic agents [6,7] and the need for cost-effective treatments to manage oral candidiasis have driven the search for novel alternatives in this field. With this perspective, naturally-occurring agents stand out as a source of bioactive molecules with potential therapeutic application in the medical and dental fields [8]. Essential oils (EO) are considered highly promising groups of natural compounds in terms of prevention and treatment of fungal infections [9]
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