Synthesis, morphology and antifungal activity of nano-particulated amphotericin-B, ketoconazole and thymoquinone against Candida albicans yeasts and Candida biofilm

Abstract

In the current study, nano-particulated drugs—Amphotericin-B, Ketoconazole and Thymoquinone (an active ingredient of Nigella sativa)—were prepared using the ball milling technique, and their particle sizes were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and using a particle size analyzer. The grain sizes of the prepared compounds were found in between 5 to 20 nm, and exhibited quasi-spherical morphology. The antifungal activity of each nano-particulated drug was investigated in vitro against Candida albicans yeasts and Candida biofilm, and compared with their micro-structured conventional forms. Nano-sized drugs were found to be two to four times more effective in disinfecting both the Candida yeasts and Candida biofilm. The study is a first of its kind as nano-forms of drugs have not been studied against Candida and Candida biofilm before. Further investigations are required for the determination of the clinical significance of the nano-formulation of antifungal substances.

Keywords:

• Amphotericin-B
• Candida albicans yeasts and biofilm
• ketoconazole
• nanodrugs
• thymoquinone

Acknowledgments

The authors are very grateful to Mr. Lari Bartholomew, Microbiology Department, College of Medicine, University of Dammam, for technical assistance.

Funding

The authors are very grateful to the Deanship of Research, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia for the financial grant for the present work (Grant No. 2011023). This work was also partially funded through the project # R15-CW-11 (MIT13104/13105) by KFUPM.