Effects ofMentha suaveolensEssential Oil Alone or in Combination with Other Drugs inCandida albicans

Annarita Stringaro,Elisabetta Vavala,Giuseppina Mignogna,Stefania Garzoli,Letizia Angiolella,Marisa Colone,Serena Cecchetti,Rino Ragno,Federico Pepi

doi:10.1155/2014/125904

Abstract

Candidosis is the most important cause of fungal infections in humans. The yeast Candida albicans can form biofilms, and it is known that microbial biofilms play an important role in human diseases and are very difficult to treat. The prolonged treatment with drugs has often resulted in failure and resistance. Due to the emergence of multidrug resistance, alternatives to conventional antimicrobial therapy are needed. This study aims to analyse the effects induced by essential oil of Mentha suaveolens Ehrh (EOMS) on Candida albicans and its potential synergism when used in combination with conventional drugs. Morphological differences between control and EOMS treated yeast cells or biofilms were observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM resp.,). In order to reveal the presence of cell cycle alterations, flow cytometry analysis was carried out as well. The synergic action of EOMS was studied with the checkerboard method, and the cellular damage induced by different treatments was analysed by TEM. The results obtained have demonstrated both the effects of EOMS on C. albicans yeast cells and biofilms and the synergism of EOMS when used in combination with conventional antifungal drugs as fluconazole (FLC) and micafungin (MCFG), and therefore we can hypothesize on its potential use in therapy. Further studies are necessary to know its mechanism of action.

Highlights

The yeast Candida albicans is the most important cause of fungal infections in humans, especially in immunocompromised patients [1, 2].Microbial biofilms play an important role in human diseases
This study aims to analyse the effects induced by essential oil of Mentha suaveolens Ehrh (EOMS) on Candida albicans and its potential synergism when used in combination with conventional drugs
The results obtained have demonstrated both the effects of EOMS on C. albicans yeast cells and biofilms and the synergism of EOMS when used in combination with conventional antifungal drugs as fluconazole (FLC) and micafungin (MCFG), and we can hypothesize on its potential use in therapy

Summary

Introduction

The yeast Candida albicans is the most important cause of fungal infections in humans, especially in immunocompromised patients [1, 2]. Microbial biofilms play an important role in human diseases. It is estimated that 65% of infections are caused by microorganisms growing on surfaces rather than in the free living planktonic state [3, 4]. Biofilms are structured microbial communities attached to surface and encased within a matrix of exopolymeric substances. Candida biofilms are difficult to eradicate because of their very high antifungal resistance to the common antifungal [5]. The prolonged treatment of C. albicans with conventional drugs has determined frequent therapeutic failures

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