title: Fungicidal effect of thymoquinone involves generation of oxidative stress in Candida glabrata.
abstract: The antifungal effect of thymoquinone, a component of black seed essential oil, has been studied on different types of fungi. Its mechanism of action as an antifungal has not been described yet. This study demonstrates the fungicidal effect of thymoquinone on different Candida species with particular emphasis on C. glabrata planktonic cells and biofilms. Since cell death was induced via the generation of oxidative stress as evidenced by the abrogation of thymoquinone toxicity in cells incubated with antioxidants, a part of thymoquinone's mechanism of action includes a direct involvement as a pro-oxidant. This was further confirmed by measuring the generation of reactive oxygen species, glutathione level reduction and decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. The oxidative stress caused by thymoquinone was confirmed to be the cause of death and not a result of cell death.
authors.affiliation: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: hala.almshawit@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Almshawit
authors.affiliation: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Macreadie
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects; D041221:Candida glabrata / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D016227:Benzoquinones; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D005978:Glutathione; C003466:thymoquinone
keywords: Biofilm; Candida glabrata; Oxidative stress; Thymoquinone