Objective: To investigate the interference of
Schinus terebinthifolius tincture (Brazilian pepper tree) on
Candida albicans (ATCC 289065) micromorphology. Method: In view of detecting morphological changes in the
C. albicans yeasts, it was employed the microcultive technique, using agar-cornmeal culture medium in moistened chamber. The total amount of culture medium was divided into three parts of equal volume. Then, were added: the natural product at its Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and nystatin (standard antifungal). The other third part was used for yeast growth control. The essay was conducted in Petri dishes containing a glass slide on a support for microcultivation and filter paper moistened with distilled water. Later, the culture medium containing the experimental product, the antifungal and the growth control was molten and 1 mL was transferred and spread on the glass slide. After medium solidification, the yeast was seeded as two parallel strias. A coverslip was used to cover microcultive and 1 mL of distilled and sterilized water kept system humidity. Each plate was incubated at 35ºC for 48 hours. After that period, an optical microscope was used to investigate the presence of typical structures like pseudo-hyphae, blastoconidia and chlamydoconidia. Result: At
S. terebinthifolius MIC (312.5 µg/mL), it was noted presence of blastoconidia, few pseudo-hyphae and rare chlamydoconidia. Nystatin, in the lowest concentration (6.25 µg/mL), revealed only blastoconidia and rare pseudo-hyphae. Growth control was found to present typical blastoconidia, pseudo-hyphae and chlamydoconidia. Conclusion:
S. terebinthifolius tincture was able to decrease the number of blastoconidia and pseudo-hyphae on
C. albicans micromorphology.