Researchers at the Optics and Photonics Research Center (CePOF) have made significant strides in combating Candida albicans, a common fungus that poses a growing threat to human health. C. albicans typically resides harmlessly within the human body in two forms: as a single-celled yeast and as filamentous hyphae. This latter, though, can create a biofilm that is highly resistant to standard antifungal drugs, making treatment more difficult.
Because of its capacity to resist common treatments, C. albicans is difficult to manage for healthcare providers. Their latest study uncovers an innovative approach photodynamic inactivation (PDI) that could change the game. This approach employs curcumin activated by 450 nm LED light to increase antifungal drug effectiveness. Beyond just making C. albicans more susceptible to treatment, this joint approach majorly curbs its growth.
Overall the results indicate that PDI, when used in conjunction with the antifungal compound amphotericin B (AmB), can effectively reduce C. albicans growth. It’s effective at preventing the yeast form by 75% and the hyphal form by an astonishing 87.5%! Curcumin produces free radicals when activated, creating oxidative stress that in turn destroys or otherwise incapacitates the fungus. Gabriela Gomes Guimarães, the study’s first author, emphasized the need for alternative treatments. These approaches would make it possible to limit side effects and decrease our reliance on traditional pharmaceuticals.
The implications of this research go beyond C. albicans. C. auris has emerged as an especially troublesome species, having shown disturbing levels of resistance to standard treatment and a heightened threat of death to patients. In response, researchers are just beginning to investigate PDI as a possible answer for this deadly pathogen.
Additionally, the PDI technique can potentially be applied to other areas, such as decontaminating food. Additionally, researchers are exploring the application of this new approach in storage silos. They seek to improve coordinating food safety activities, illustrating its flexibility and promise.