Physical-chemical and microbiological stability of biotherapy Candida albicans RC in different potencies

Abstract

Introduction: Oral Candidiasis is an opportunist fungal infection, with high incidence in HIV and immunosuppressed patients and Candida albicans is the most common causing agent. In some cases, it can evolve to resistant injuries to antifungal conventional therapy. According to Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopeia (BHP) [1], biotherapic medicines are prepared from chemically undefined biological products. Biotherapics created by Brazilian doctor Roberto Costa (RC) have a different homeopathic compounding technique, as its dynamization starts from the ethiologic agent of the illness in its alive form, which present higher capability to stimulate the host immunological system [2,3].
 
 Aim: The goal of this study was evaluate the physical-chemical and microbiological stability of Candida albicans RC potencies under different conditions of storage.
 
 Methodology: To prepare the biotherapics, one part of Candida albicans yeast suspension (109 cell/ml) was diluted in 9 parts of sterile distillated water. After preparing this 1:10 dilution, the sample was undergone 100 succussions, resulting in the first decimal dilution (1x). Then, one part of this solution was diluted in 9 parts of sterile distillated water and submitted to 100 succussions, generating the 2x. This process was successively repeated following BHP, until 30x. Water 30x was prepared by the same technique, as control. All the solutions were prepared in aseptic and sterile conditions. Biotherapics 6x, 12x, 18x, 24x, 30x and water 30x were storage under refrigeration (2 to 8°C) and at room temperate (25°C) during 8 weeks. Every 15 days, the following parameters were analyzed: pH, electrical conductivity, UV absorbance (260 and 280 nm). Microbiological analyses were performed after 3 weeks by colony forming unit (CFU) method [4].
 
 Results: The preliminary analyses performed at times zero, 15, 30 and 45 days suggest that electrical conductivity of these solutions tend to increase proportionally to storage time without significant differences due to temperature storage conditions. There was no statistically significant difference detected in pH values. Measures of absorbance of different biotherapic potencies under both conditions of storage are in course. Microbiological analyses showed no colony growth, but in the 1x sample analyzed at time zero, indicating the viability of the fungus.
 
 Conclusion: Further experiments are being carried out in order to confirm the preliminary data obtained.