title: Postantifungal-like effect of sublethal treatment of Candida albicans with acid-electrolyzed water.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acid-electrolyzed water (AEW) has been applied to the treatment of oral candidiasis. We evaluated the postantifungal effect (PAFE)-like activity of AEW against Candida albicans under sublethal conditions by exposing C. albicans to dilute AEW.
  
  
  METHODS
  The growth of C. albicans after a short-term exposure to dilute AEW was evaluated in broth and on agar culture. The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the PAFE was examined by flow cytometric analysis with hydroxyphenyl fluorescein (HPF) as a fluorescence probe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The dilute AEW exerted PAFE-like activity against C. albicans. ROS were produced in the cells treated with AEW diluted 16 times or fewer. The increase in HPF fluorescence after treatment with dilute AEW was cancelled by dimethyl sulfoxide, a hydroxyl radical (OH) scavenger.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It would be expected that the ROS, especially OH, produced in the C. albicans cells treated with sublethal dilutions of AEW could exert PAFE-like activity against the fungal cells.
authors.affiliation: Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, 4-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mokudai
authors.affiliation: Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, 4-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanno
authors.affiliation: Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, 4-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. Electronic address: niwano@m.tohoku.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshimi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niwano
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004572:Electrolysis; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004202:Disinfectants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C118085:superoxidized water; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide
keywords: Acid-electrolyzed water; Candida albicans; Growth inhibition; Reactive oxygen species