Bioprospecção da atividade antifúngica do óleo essencial de Pogostemon cablin (LAMIACEAE) contra cepas de Candida tropicalis.

Abstract

Candida yeast is very common in the oral mucosa of healthy individuals. However, when there is a breakdown of host defense mechanisms, this yeast may cause a proliferation or infection of the oral cavity. Conventional methods for the treatment of candidiasis, superficial or systemic, are based on the use of antifungal agents, such as: nystatin, amphotericin B, miconazole, ketoconazole, among others. However, several drawbacks are observed when using them, represented by toxicity, antagonistic drug-drug interactions, lack of fungicidal efficacy, high cost and emergence of resistant species caused by the frequent use of some of them. In the search for new therapeutic strategies for oral candidiasis, studies using medicinal plants are being increasingly performed. This work analyzes the possible antifungal activity of Pogostemon cablin essential oil against Candida tropicalis strains. For the determination of MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) of the essential oil, the broth microdilution technique was performed. The following strains of Candida tropicalis (ATCC 13803, LM 04, LM 20 and LM 64) were used. Viability control of the strains tested, as well as the sensitivity control of these strains to the antimicrobial amphotericin B were performed. The plates were aseptically closed and incubated at 35 ° C for 24-48hrs and read. In view of the results it was observed that for the ATCC type 13803 the MIC was 128 μg / ml, for the LM 64 it was 32 μg / ml, however, for the LM 04 and 20 strains the essential oil had a MIC of> 1024 μg / ml. For the Minimum Fungicide Concentration (CFM), the values were the same as the MIC, respecting their respective strains. It can be concluded that the essential oil of Pogostemon cablin has a strong fungicidal antimicrobial activity against strains of Candida tropicalis, being a substance susceptible to new studies.