Syzygium aromaticum extracts debilitate Candida albicans by radically inhibiting its morphological plasticity and biofilm formation

ABSTRACT

The effects of Syzygium aromaticum extracts on the growth, germ tube production, biofilm formation and adhesion of Candida albicans to human buccal epithelial cells (BEC) were investigated. We found larger zones of inhibition of growth of C. albicans with the essential oil (EO) and methanolic extract (ME) than amphotericin B. Similarly, the MIC values for the EO and ME were lower than that of amphotericin B. The EO and ME caused greater reductions in biofilm formation than amphotericin-B. Pre-treatment of C. albicans and BEC with the EO caused greater reductions in adhesion to BEC than amphotericin B.

KEYWORDS:

• Essential oil
• Morphogenesis
• Adhesion, buccal epithelial cells

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Deanship of Research at Jordan University of Science and Technology (Research Grant Number: 20150030) for their financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Deanship of Research at Jordan University of Science and Technology (Research Grant Number: 20150030).