Honey flavonoids, natural antifungal agents against Candida albicans

Abstract

Candida albicans is the most prevalent fungal pathogen in humans. In this study, flavonoids from unprocessed multifloral honey were extracted and investigated their anticandidal activity in vitro. These results indicated that honey flavonoids inhibited Candida growth; however, they did not kill the yeasts and did not directly affect the cytoplasmic membrane. The viability tests of cells yeast with the fluorescent probe Sybr green I in combination with propidium iodide suggested that antifungal activity of honey flavonoids depended on their relative lipophilic properties and that they may reach a possible intracellular site of action without compromising membrane-associated functions. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.