Effect of Carum carvi essential oil on ERG۶ gene expression and virulence factors in Candida albicans

Background and Purpose: The present study was conducted to investigate the inhibitory effects of Carum carvi essential oil (EO) against ERG۶ gene expression in relation to fungal growth and some important virulence factors in Candida albicans. Materials and Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of C. carvi EO against C. albicans was determined by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M۲۷-A۴ method at a concentration range of ۲۰-۱۲۸۰ μg/ml. Furthermore, the expression of ERG۶ gene was studied at the ۰.۵× MIC concentration of C. carvi EO using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The proteinase and phospholipase activities, cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), and cell membrane ergosterol (CME) content of C. albicans were also assessed at the ۰.۵× MIC concentration of the plant EO using the approved methods. In addition, fluconazole (FLC) was used as a control antifungal drug. Results: The results indicated that the MIC and minimum fungicidal concentration of C. carvi EO for C. albicans growth were ۳۲۰ and ۶۴۰ μg/ml, respectively. The expression of fungal ERG۶ at an mRNA level and ergosterol content of yeast cells were significantly decreased by both C. carvi EO (۶۴۰ μg/ml) and FLC (۲ μg/ml). The proteinase and phospholipase activities were also reduced in C. carvi EO by ۴۹.۸۲% and ۵۳.۲۶%, respectively, while they were inhibited in FLC-treated cultures by ۲۷.۷۲% and ۳۴.۶۷%, respectively. Furthermore, the CSH was inhibited in EO- and FLC-treated cultures by ۱۲.۷۵% and ۲۰.۸۰%, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that C. carvi EO can be considered a potential natural compound in the development of an efficient antifungal agent against C. albicans.

کلیدواژه ها:

Carum carvi ، candida albicans ، Antifungal activity ، Virulence factors ، ERG۶