Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate the chemical compositions and effects of the S. tuberosa leaf and root hydroalcoholic extracts (HELST and HERST) against different strains of Candida. Chemical analysis was performed by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Quadrupole/Time of Flight System (UPLC-MS-ESI-QTOF). The Inhibitory Concentration of 50% of the growth (IC50) as well as the intrinsic and combined action of the extracts with the antifungal fluconazole (FCZ) were determined by the microdilution method while the minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) and the effect on fungal morphological transitions were analyzed by subculture and in humid chambers, respectively. From the preliminary phytochemical analysis, the phenols and flavonoids were the most abundant. The intrinsic IC50 values for HELST ranged from 5716.3 to 7805.8 µg/mL and from 6175.4 to 51070.9 µg/mL for the HERST, whereas the combination of the extracts with fluconazole presented IC50 values from 2.65 to 278.41 µg/mL. The MFC of the extracts, individually, for all the tested strains was ≥16384 µg/mL. When fluconazole was combined with each extract, the MFC against CA URM 5974 was reduced (HELST: 2048 and HERST: 4096 µg/mL). Synergism was observed against standard C. albicans (CA) and C. tropicalis (CT) strains and with the root extract against the CT isolate. The leaf extract inhibited the morphological transition of all strains while the root extract inhibited only CT strains.
Highlights
Candida species, especially C. albicans, are commonly found on human mucosal surfaces but are becoming an important progressive invasive pathogen due to their increased prevalence in immunocompromised patients and the increased use of antibiotics [1].Infections caused by the Candida genus are associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate, where these species are responsible for superficial and systemic candidiasis, with the latter being a serious problem for health systems and patients [2]
Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of several metabolite classes, such as: Alkaloids, steroids, phenols, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and xanthones (Table 1)
In UPLC-MS-ESI-Quadrupole/Time of Flight (QTOF), identification of the compounds was based on their molecular ion mass, retention time, fragmentation pattern, and data available in the literature, as shown in Tables 2 and 3, according to the order of elution, molecular formula, error, and major fragments (MS2)
Summary
Especially C. albicans, are commonly found on human mucosal surfaces but are becoming an important progressive invasive pathogen due to their increased prevalence in immunocompromised patients and the increased use of antibiotics [1].Infections caused by the Candida genus are associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate, where these species are responsible for superficial and systemic candidiasis, with the latter being a serious problem for health systems and patients [2]. Especially C. albicans, are commonly found on human mucosal surfaces but are becoming an important progressive invasive pathogen due to their increased prevalence in immunocompromised patients and the increased use of antibiotics [1]. Studies addressing the use of plants have been growing in Brazil as well as worldwide, increasing the importance and knowledge of their chemical components [6]. In this sense, natural products and their chemical diversity are seen as options for potentially active therapeutic sources, which can be a means of discovering new drugs [7]
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