| Summary: | In contrast to comprehensively investigated antibacterial activity of snake venoms, namely crude venoms and their selected components, little is known about antifungal properties of elapid snake venoms. In the present study, the proteome of two venoms of red spitting cobra <i>Naja pallida</i> (NPV) and Mozambique spitting cobra <i>Naja mossambica</i> (NMV) was characterized using LC-MS/MS approach, and the antifungal activity of crude venoms against three <i>Candida</i> species was established. A complex response to venom treatment was revealed. NPV and NMV, when used at relatively high concentrations, decreased cell viability of <i>C. albicans</i> and <i>C. tropicalis</i>, affected cell cycle of <i>C. albicans</i>, inhibited <i>C. tropicalis</i>-based biofilm formation and promoted oxidative stress in <i>C. albicans</i>, <i>C. glabrata</i> and <i>C. tropicalis</i> cells. NPV and NMV also modulated ammonia pulses during colony development and aging in three <i>Candida</i> species. All these observations provide evidence that NPV and NMV may diminish selected pathogenic features of <i>Candida</i> species. However, NPV and NMV also promoted the secretion of extracellular phospholipases that may facilitate <i>Candida</i> pathogenicity and limit their usefulness as anti-candidal agents. In conclusion, antifungal activity of snake venoms should be studied with great caution and a plethora of pathogenic biomarkers should be considered in the future experiments.
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