title: [Inhibitory effects of butyl alcohol extract of Baitouweng decoction on yeast-to-hyphae transition of Candida albicans isolates from VVC in alkaline pH environment].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of butyl alcohol extract of Baitouweng decoction ( BAEB) on yeast-to-hyphae transition of Candida albicans isolates from vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) in alkaline pH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serial 2-fold dilution assay was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of Baitouweng decoction extracts against C. albicans isolates from VVC, XTT assay was applied to determine the metabolic activity of C. albicans hypha treated by BAEB for 6 h. The morphological change of C. albicans treated by BAEB was inspected at different pH by inverted microscope, fluorescence microscope, scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Solid agar plate and semi-solid agar were utilized to evaluate colony morphology and invasive growth of C. albicans, respectively. Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was adopted to observe the expressions of hyphae-specific genes including HWP1, ALS3, CSH1, SUN41 and CaPDE2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MIC of BAEB against C. albicans is less than that of other extracts; hyphae grow best at pH 8. 0; 512 mg · L(-1) and 1,024 mg · L(-1) BAEB could inhibit formation of hyphae and influence colony morphology. When treated by 512 mg · L(-1) and 1,024 mg · L(-1) BAEB, the colonies became smooth; while by 0 and 256 mg · L(-1) BAEB, the colonies became wrinkled. In semi-solid agar, the length of hyphae decreased steadily as the concentration of BAEB lowered. The expression of HWP1, ALS3, CSHl, SUN41 were downregulated by 5.12, 4.26, 3.2 and 2.74 folds, and CaPDE2 was upregulated by 2.38 fold.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BAEB could inhibit yeast-to-hyphae transition of C. albicans isolates from VVC in alkaline pH.
authors.forename: Meng-xiang
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Gao-xiang
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Tian-ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chuan-chao
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Chang-zhong
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D025301:Hyphae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal