Nanocarriers of Miconazole or Fluconazole: Effects on Three-Species <i>Candida</i> Biofilms and Cytotoxic Effects In Vitro

The contribution of different <i>Candida</i> species in oral fungal infections has stimulated the search for more effective therapies. This study assessed the antibiofilm effects of nanocarriers of miconazole (MCZ) or fluconazole (FLZ) on <i>Candida</i> biofilms, and their cy...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anne Caroline Morais Caldeirão, Heitor Ceolin Araujo, Laís Salomão Arias, Wilmer Ramírez Carmona, Gustavo Porangaba Miranda, Sandra Helena Penha Oliveira, Juliano Pelim Pessan, Douglas Roberto Monteiro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/7/500
Description
Summary:The contribution of different <i>Candida</i> species in oral fungal infections has stimulated the search for more effective therapies. This study assessed the antibiofilm effects of nanocarriers of miconazole (MCZ) or fluconazole (FLZ) on <i>Candida</i> biofilms, and their cytotoxic effects on murine fibroblasts. Three-species biofilms (<i>Candida albicans/Candida glabrata/Candida tropicalis</i>) were formed on 96-well plates, and they were treated with nanocarriers (iron oxide nanoparticles coated with chitosan—“IONPs-CS”) of MCZ or FLZ at 39/78/156 µg/mL; antifungals alone at 156 µg/mL and artificial saliva were tested as positive and negative controls, respectively. Biofilms were analyzed by colony forming units (CFU), biomass, metabolic activity, and structure/viability. The cytotoxicity (L929 cells) of all treatments was determined via 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. Data were submitted to one- or two-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s or Fisher LSD’s tests (<i>p</i> < 0.05). IONPs-CS-MCZ at 78 µg/mL promoted similar antibiofilm and cytotoxic effects compared with MCZ at 156 µg/mL. In turn, IONPs-CS-FLZ at 156 µg/mL was overall the most effective FLZ antibiofilm treatment, surpassing the effects of FLZ alone; this nanocarrier was also less cytotoxic compared with FLZ alone. It can be concluded that both nanocarriers are more effective alternatives to fight <i>Candida</i> biofilms compared with their respective positive controls in vitro, being a promising alternative for the treatment of oral fungal infections.
ISSN:2309-608X