title: Antimicrobial activity of Buchenavia tetraphylla against Candida albicans strains isolated from vaginal secretions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Buchenavia tetraphylla (Aubl.) RA Howard (Combretaceae: Combretoideae) is an ethnomedicinal plant with reported antifungal action.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluates the antimicrobial activity of B. tetraphylla leaf extracts against clinical isolates of Candida albicans. The morphological alterations, combinatory effects with fluconazole and the cytotoxicity of the active extract were analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extracts were obtained using different solvents (hexane: BTHE; chloroform: BTCE; ethyl acetate: BTEE; and methanol: BTME). Antimicrobial activity was determined by the broth microdilution method using nine strains of C. albicans isolated from vaginal secretions and one standard strain (UFPEDA 1007).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All extracts showed anti-C. albicans activity, including against the azole-resistant strains. The MIC values ranged from 156 to 2500 μg/mL for the BTHE; 156 to 1250 μg/mL for the BTCE; 625 to 1250 μg/mL for the BTME and 625 μg/mL to 2500 μg/mL for the BTEE. BTME showed the best anti-C. albicans activity. This extract demonstrated additive/synergistic interactions with fluconazole. Scanning electron microscopy analysis suggested that the BTME interferes with the cell division and development of C. albicans. BTME showed IC50values of 981 and 3935 μg/mL, against J774 macrophages and human erythrocytes, respectively. This extract also enhanced the production of nitric oxide by J774 macrophages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Buchenavia tetraphylla methanolic extract (BTME) is a great source of antimicrobial compounds that are able to enhance the action of fluconazole against different C. albicans strains; this action seems related to inhibition of cell division.
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Bioquímica , Universidade Federal de Pernambuco , Recife , Brasil.
authors.forename: José Robson Neves
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cavalcanti Filho
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Bioquímica , Universidade Federal de Pernambuco , Recife , Brasil.|b Curso de Farmácia , Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde , Recife , Brasil.
authors.forename: Tiago Fonseca
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: b Curso de Farmácia , Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde , Recife , Brasil.
authors.forename: Woah Queiroz
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Nobre
authors.affiliation: c Centro de Pesquisa Aggeu Magalhães , Recife , Brasil.
authors.forename: Larissa Isabela
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Oliveira de Souza
authors.affiliation: d Programa de Pósgraduação , Universidade CEUMA , Sao Luis , Brasil.
authors.forename: Cristiane Santos
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Silva E Silva Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: c Centro de Pesquisa Aggeu Magalhães , Recife , Brasil.
authors.forename: Regina Celia Bressan Queiroz de
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: e Departamento de Antibióticos , Universidade Federal de Pernambuco , Recife , Brasil.
authors.forename: Norma Buarque
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: de Gusmão
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Bioquímica , Universidade Federal de Pernambuco , Recife , Brasil.
authors.forename: Márcia Vanusa
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: b Curso de Farmácia , Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde , Recife , Brasil.|d Programa de Pósgraduação , Universidade CEUMA , Sao Luis , Brasil.
authors.forename: Luís Cláudio
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Nascimento da Silva
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Bioquímica , Universidade Federal de Pernambuco , Recife , Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Tereza Dos Santos
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Correia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D029764:Combretaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D015725:Fluconazole
keywords: Antifungal agents; Caatinga biome; natural products