Potencial biotecnológico do óleo essencial de Vitex gardneriana na prevenção e controle de biofilmes de espécies de Candida de importância clínica

• Ano de defesa: 2016
• Autor(a) principal: Ribeiro, Louise Helena de Freitas
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Palavras-chave em Português: Candida; Biofilme; Óleo essencial; Vitex; Antifúngico
• Link de acesso: http://www.repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/21745

Candida species have been considered as important causes of nosocomial fungal infections. Their ability to form biofilms has been related to high mortality rates in patients with candidemia. Due to the capacity to colonize surfaces of catheters and other medical devices, Candida biofilms may play important roles in systemic infections, which are difficult to treat by conventional antifungal agents. Therefore, the discovery of new drugs useful in the prevention and eradication of Candida biofilms is of great interest. Essential oils are excellent sources of bioactive molecules with antifungal and antibiofilm potential. Some species of the genus Vitex have proven antifungal activity against Candida species. However, to this date, there are no reports on the antifungal activity exerted by Vitex gardneriana, which is found mainly in Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the biotechnological potential of the essential oil from V. gardneriana in inhibiting Candida planktonic and biofilm forms. In order to assess the oil antifungal potential, Candida albicans and C. tropicalis planktonic cells and biofilms were treated with different oil concentrations and its action on cell growth, biomass formation and viability of biofilm-entrapped cells was determined. The essential oil was able in reducing significantly C. albicans (71% to 9%) and C. tropicalis (33% to 3%) planktonic growth. Regarding biofilm mass formed in the presence of the oil, all tested concentrations (2.5% to 0.039%) reduced C. albicans and C. tropicalis biomass. The same effect was not seen on the viability of C. albicans biofilm-entrapped cells, since no reduction was achieved. On the other hand, all tested concentrations reduced C. tropicalis viability. Concerning pre-formed biofilms, C. albicans biomass was reduced in most of the concentrations evaluated, whereas C. tropicalis biomass was reduced at concentrations between 2.5% and 0.625%. For both species, the oil was able in reducing the number of viable cells of pre-formed biofilms in all tested concentrations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the V. gardneriana essential oil ability in inhibiting C. albicans and C. tropicalis planktonic and biofilm forms. Thus, the study showed that the oil action affected a major virulence factor of Candida, which can direct the new anti-Candida drugs development.