IADR Abstract Archives
Antifungal Mode Of Action Of Obliquumol On Candida albicans
Objectives: Treatment of candidiasis is complicated by the emergence of resistant strains of Candida to the currently used antifungal agents. Plants are a valuable source of new bioactive compounds. A natural pure compound, obliquumol isolated from P. obliquum leaves shown higher antifungal action against C. albicans and less cytotoxicity than Amphotericin B. Therefore, the antifungal action of obliquumol and Amphotericin B (positive control) on the structure of the cell wall of C. albicans were compared.
Methods: A culture of C. albicans grown 24 hours was adjusted to McFarland standard 1 (3.2 x 108 cfu/ml) and spread onto 35 cm diameter Subaroud Dextrose Agar plates. Plates were then incubated at 37°C for 18 hours and flooded with 70 µl of obliquumol or Amphotericin B and further incubated at 37°C, for 3, 6, 12 and 18 hours. Samples of each treatment were collected and prepared for both SEM (using a modified method4) and TEM. SEM samples were viewed with a Zeiss Supra 55 VP FE-SEM at the Sefako Makgatho University, South Africa, and TEM samples observed with a Philips EM 10 and JEOL 2100 F.
Results: SEM images indicated cell shrinkage at various stages. TEM images on the other hand, revealed intact cell wall integrity in both treatments, but with changes in the cell content. When cell division take place, the budding scar is a weak spot in the cell wall because the chitin is not yet formed. The rest of the cell wall and all the layers however, seem to be intact. TEM images is therefore necessary before any notable conclusions can be drawn.
Conclusions: The present study shows that shrinkage of the cells is not due to the breakdown of the cell wall, but rather due to cytoplasmic changes. The mode of action of obliquumol as a possible treatment option for candidiasis should therefore be further investigated.
Methods: A culture of C. albicans grown 24 hours was adjusted to McFarland standard 1 (3.2 x 108 cfu/ml) and spread onto 35 cm diameter Subaroud Dextrose Agar plates. Plates were then incubated at 37°C for 18 hours and flooded with 70 µl of obliquumol or Amphotericin B and further incubated at 37°C, for 3, 6, 12 and 18 hours. Samples of each treatment were collected and prepared for both SEM (using a modified method4) and TEM. SEM samples were viewed with a Zeiss Supra 55 VP FE-SEM at the Sefako Makgatho University, South Africa, and TEM samples observed with a Philips EM 10 and JEOL 2100 F.
Results: SEM images indicated cell shrinkage at various stages. TEM images on the other hand, revealed intact cell wall integrity in both treatments, but with changes in the cell content. When cell division take place, the budding scar is a weak spot in the cell wall because the chitin is not yet formed. The rest of the cell wall and all the layers however, seem to be intact. TEM images is therefore necessary before any notable conclusions can be drawn.
Conclusions: The present study shows that shrinkage of the cells is not due to the breakdown of the cell wall, but rather due to cytoplasmic changes. The mode of action of obliquumol as a possible treatment option for candidiasis should therefore be further investigated.