Photofungizides Based on Curcumin and Derivates Thereof against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i>
Fungal infections in humans, contamination of food and structural damage to buildings by fungi are associated with high costs for the general public. In addition, the increase in antifungal resistance towards conventional treatment raises the demand for new fungicidal methods. Here, we present the a...
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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Series: | Antibiotics |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/11/1315 |
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author | Barbara Schamberger Kristjan Plaetzer |
author_facet | Barbara Schamberger Kristjan Plaetzer |
author_sort | Barbara Schamberger |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Fungal infections in humans, contamination of food and structural damage to buildings by fungi are associated with high costs for the general public. In addition, the increase in antifungal resistance towards conventional treatment raises the demand for new fungicidal methods. Here, we present the antifungal use of Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) based on the natural photosensitizer curcumin and a water-soluble positively charged derivative thereof (SA-CUR 12a) against two different model organisms; <i>Candida albicans</i> grown in a liquid culture and photo treated with a 435 nm LED light followed by counting of the colony-forming units and photoinactivation of tissue-like hyphal spheres of <i>Aspergillus niger</i> (diameter ~5 mm) with subsequent monitoring of colony growth. Curcumin (50 µM, no incubation period, i.p.) supplemented with 10% or 0.5% DMSO as well as SA-CUR 12a (50 µM no i.p or 5 min i.p.) triggered a photoantifungal effect of >4 log units towards <i>C. albicans</i>. At 100 µM, SA-CUR 12a (0 min or 5 min i.p.) achieved a reduction of >6 log units. Colonies of <i>A. niger</i> shrunk significantly during PDI treatment. Photoinactivation with 50 µM or 100 µM curcumin (+0.5% DMSO) resulted in complete growth inhibition. PDI using 20, 50 or 100 µM SA-CUR 12a (with or without 10% DMSO) also showed a significant reduction in colony area compared to the control after 48 h, although less pronounced compared to curcumin. In summary, PDI using curcumin or SA-CUR 12a against <i>C. albicans</i> or <i>A. niger</i> is a promising alternative to currently used fungicides, with the advantage of being very unlikely to induce resistance. |
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issn | 2079-6382 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:45:47Z |
publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
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series | Antibiotics |
spelling | doaj.art-117cd405efd043c9bc4f1883015d356d2023-11-22T22:09:47ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822021-10-011011131510.3390/antibiotics10111315Photofungizides Based on Curcumin and Derivates Thereof against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i>Barbara Schamberger0Kristjan Plaetzer1Laboratory of Photodynamic Inactivation of Microorganisms, Department of Biosciences, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, AustriaLaboratory of Photodynamic Inactivation of Microorganisms, Department of Biosciences, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, AustriaFungal infections in humans, contamination of food and structural damage to buildings by fungi are associated with high costs for the general public. In addition, the increase in antifungal resistance towards conventional treatment raises the demand for new fungicidal methods. Here, we present the antifungal use of Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) based on the natural photosensitizer curcumin and a water-soluble positively charged derivative thereof (SA-CUR 12a) against two different model organisms; <i>Candida albicans</i> grown in a liquid culture and photo treated with a 435 nm LED light followed by counting of the colony-forming units and photoinactivation of tissue-like hyphal spheres of <i>Aspergillus niger</i> (diameter ~5 mm) with subsequent monitoring of colony growth. Curcumin (50 µM, no incubation period, i.p.) supplemented with 10% or 0.5% DMSO as well as SA-CUR 12a (50 µM no i.p or 5 min i.p.) triggered a photoantifungal effect of >4 log units towards <i>C. albicans</i>. At 100 µM, SA-CUR 12a (0 min or 5 min i.p.) achieved a reduction of >6 log units. Colonies of <i>A. niger</i> shrunk significantly during PDI treatment. Photoinactivation with 50 µM or 100 µM curcumin (+0.5% DMSO) resulted in complete growth inhibition. PDI using 20, 50 or 100 µM SA-CUR 12a (with or without 10% DMSO) also showed a significant reduction in colony area compared to the control after 48 h, although less pronounced compared to curcumin. In summary, PDI using curcumin or SA-CUR 12a against <i>C. albicans</i> or <i>A. niger</i> is a promising alternative to currently used fungicides, with the advantage of being very unlikely to induce resistance.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/11/1315photodynamic inactivationphotosensitizerantifungalcurcumin<i>Candida albicans</i><i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
spellingShingle | Barbara Schamberger Kristjan Plaetzer Photofungizides Based on Curcumin and Derivates Thereof against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i> Antibiotics photodynamic inactivation photosensitizer antifungal curcumin <i>Candida albicans</i> <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
title | Photofungizides Based on Curcumin and Derivates Thereof against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
title_full | Photofungizides Based on Curcumin and Derivates Thereof against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
title_fullStr | Photofungizides Based on Curcumin and Derivates Thereof against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
title_full_unstemmed | Photofungizides Based on Curcumin and Derivates Thereof against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
title_short | Photofungizides Based on Curcumin and Derivates Thereof against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
title_sort | photofungizides based on curcumin and derivates thereof against i candida albicans i and i aspergillus niger i |
topic | photodynamic inactivation photosensitizer antifungal curcumin <i>Candida albicans</i> <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/11/1315 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT barbaraschamberger photofungizidesbasedoncurcuminandderivatesthereofagainsticandidaalbicansiandiaspergillusnigeri AT kristjanplaetzer photofungizidesbasedoncurcuminandderivatesthereofagainsticandidaalbicansiandiaspergillusnigeri |