Antifungal activity of oligochitosans (short chain chitosans) against some Candida species and clinical isolates of Candida albicans: molecular weight-activity relationship.
A series of oligochitosans (short chain chitosans) prepared by acidic hydrolysis of chitosan and characterized by their molecular weight, polydispersity and degree of deacetylation were used to determine their anticandidal activities. This study has demonstrated that oligochitosans show a high fungistatic activity (MIC 8-512 μg/ml) against Candida species and clinical isolates of Candida albicans, which are resistant to a series of classic antibiotics. Flow cytometry analysis showed that oligochitosan possessed a high fungicidal activity as well. For the first time it was shown that even sub-MIC oligochitosan concentration suppressed the formation of C. albicans hyphal structures, cause severe cell wall alterations, and altered internal cell structure. These results indicate that oligochitosan should be considered as a possible alternative/additive to known anti-yeast agents in pharmaceutical compositions.
Kazan Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Bolshaya Krasnaya St. 67, Kazan 420015, Russia.
Sergey N
SN
Kulikov
Kazan Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Bolshaya Krasnaya St. 67, Kazan 420015, Russia.
Svetlana A
SA
Lisovskaya
Kazan Federal University, Kremlyovskaya St. 18, Kazan 420008, Russia.
Pavel V
PV
Zelenikhin
A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov St. 28, Moscow 119991, Russia.
Evgeniya A
EA
Bezrodnykh
Kazan Federal University, Kremlyovskaya St. 18, Kazan 420008, Russia.
Diana R
DR
Shakirova
A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov St. 28, Moscow 119991, Russia.
Inesa V
IV
Blagodatskikh
A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov St. 28, Moscow 119991, Russia. Electronic address: tikhon@ineos.ac.ru.
Vladimir E
VE
Tikhonov
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008970:Molecular Weight; D013045:Species Specificity; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D048271:Chitosan
Activity; Candida; Chitosan; Cytometry; Hyphae; Oligochitosan; TEM