Effects of ambroxol on Candida albicans growth and biofilm formation.
Typically, the onset of candidiasis is characterised by the appearance of a biofilm of Candida albicans, which is associated with several diseases including oral candidiasis in young and elderly people. The objective of this work was to investigate the in vitro fungicidal activity as well as the antibiofilm activity of ambroxol (AMB) against C. albicans growth. In the present investigation, the fungicidal activity of AMB was established using the cell viability 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Also the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AMB required to inhibit the fungal growth was determined. Simultaneously, the antibiofilm activity of AMB was evaluated using fluorescence microscopy. The study revealed that 2 mg ml(-1) of AMB exhibited higher fungicidal activity than 3.3 mg ml(-1) of terbinafine, one of most common commercial antifungals. A MIC of 1 mg ml(-1) was determined for AMB to interfere with C. albicans growth. Furthermore, AMB was found to be effective in inhibiting the biofilm formation of C. albicans and exerted its fungicidal activity against the fungal cells interspersed in the preformed biofilm. The study suggests a potential role of the mucolytic agent, AMB, as an interesting therapeutic alternative in the treatment of oral candidiasis.
Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, UANL, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
Hernandez-Delgadillo
HD
Rene
Martínez-Sanmiguel Juan
MS
José
Sánchez-Nájera Rosa
SN
Isela
Cabral-Romero
CR
Claudio
D000551:Ambroxol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000378:metabolism
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D000551:Ambroxol; C022616:thiazolyl blue
Ambroxol; Candida albicans; antibiofilm; antifungal agent; antimicrobial resistance; mucolytic