Effect of Vapor-Phase Oregano Essential Oil on Resistant <i>Candida</i> Species Biofilms: Mechanisms of Action

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2023

Autores

Fernandes, L (Autor) Outra; Costa, R (Autor) Outra; Silva, S (Autor) Outra; Henriques, M (Autor) Outra; Sofia Costa de Oliveira (Autor) FMUP; Rodrigues, ME (Autor) Outra

Revista

Título: Microbiology spectrum

Vol. 11

ISSN: 2165-0497

Editora: American Society for Microbiology

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 1 Citação

Scopus - 1 Citação

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-00Y-5DA

DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05124-22

Abstract (EN): Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most prevalent vaginal infectious diseases. The increasing incidence of drug-resistant Candida strains and the limited therapeutic options make the discovery of effective alternative therapies fundamental. Essential oils (EOs) have been suggested as a promising alternative, and interestingly, vapor-phase essential oils (VP-EOs) present more advantages than their direct application. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the effect of oregano VP-EO (VP-OEO) on biofilms of antifungal-resistant vaginal isolates of Candida species (Candida albicans and Candida glabrata) and determine its mode of action. CFU, membrane integrity, and metabolic activity were evaluated. Furthermore, a reconstituted vaginal epithelium was used to mimic vaginal conditions and evaluate the effect of VP-OEO on Candida species infection, analyzed by DNA quantification, microscopy, and lactate dehydrogenase activity. The results revealed high VP-OEO antifungal activity. There was a significant reduction (>4 log CFU) in Candida species biofilms. Furthermore, the results show that the mechanisms of action of VP-OEO are related to membrane integrity and metabolic activity. The epithelium model confirms the effectiveness of VP-OEO. This study suggests that VP-EO can be considered a first approach for the development of an alternative form of VVC treatment.IMPORTANCE This work presents a new approach to the application of essential oils, exposure to the vapor phase, which can be considered a first approach for the development of a complementary or alternative form of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) treatment. VVC is a significant infection caused by Candida species and remains a common disease that affects millions of women every year. The great difficulty in treating VVC and the extremely limited effective therapeutic options make the development of alternative treatments crucial. In this scope, this study aims to contribute to the development of effective, inexpensive, and nontoxic strategies for the prevention and treatment of this infectious disease, based on natural products. Moreover, this new approach has several advantages for women, such as lower costs, easy access, an easier mode of application, avoidance of skin contact, and, therefore, fewer negative impacts on women's health. This work presents a new approach to the application of essential oils, exposure to the vapor phase, which can be considered a first approach for the development of a complementary or alternative form of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) treatment. VVC is a significant infection caused by Candida species and remains a common disease that affects millions of women every year.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 16