INHIBITORY ACTION OF TOPICAL ANTIFUNGAL CREAMS AGAINST Candida albicans BIOFILM

Abstract

Candidiasis is an infection caused by Candida fungi, especially Candida albicans, that generates high healthcare costs worldwide. The susceptibility of C. albicans biofilm towards existing topical antifungal creams need to be further investigated. This study evaluates the effects of econazole nitrate, miconazole nitrate, ketoconazole and tolnaftate-based antifungal creams against C. albicans biofilm. C. albicans ATCC MYA-2876 biofilm was developed in microplate assay in the absence and presence of antifungal creams. The concentration of all antifungal creams was evaluated in the range between 156.25µg/ml and 5000µg/ml. Biofilm biomass and biofilm viability were measured using crystal violet assay and resazurin assay respectively. Results demonstrated that all antifungal creams effectively inhibited C. albicans biofilm. Treatment with miconazole nitrate-based antifungal cream significantly (p<0.05) reduced biofilm biomass and biofilm viability at all test concentrations. Correlation between biofilm biomass and biofilm viability in the presence of miconazole nitrate-based antifungal cream was also found to be significant (p<0.05). The findings of the present study suggest that the most efficient agent against C. albicans biofilm is miconazole nitrate-based antifungal cream.