Oral Candidiasis Deteriorated by Local Application of a Glucocorticoid-Containing Film in a Mouse Model

Abstract

In order to estimate predisposing activity of oral application of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP)-containing mucoadhesive films for oral candidiasis, the effects of BDP on growth of Candida albicans were examined in vivo and in vitro. Murine neutrophils inhibited the mycelial growth of C. albicans in vitro, but this anti-Candida activity was clearly suppressed by the presence of 10(-6) M of BDP. In vitro, a BDP-release test showed that the amount of BDP released from BDP-containing films into the fluid phase increased in a time- and concentration-dependent manner and reached about 10-15% of the total amount of BDP in the film within 30 min. When the BDP-containing film was attached to the tongues of mice orally infected with C. albicans, oral infection by C. albicans deteriorated, but not as severely as in mice systemically immunosuppressed with prednisolone. Based on these findings, we also discuss the problems associated with the clinical application of BDP-film as an anti-inflammatory tool.