Biological effect of Ocimum basilicum essential oil in Candida spp.

• Grant number: 18/02868-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Social and Preventive Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Jose Francisco Hofling
• Grantee: Sarah Reis Pimenta
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Candida fungi, related to infections associated with immunosuppressed patients, have demonstrated a growing acquisition of resistance to antifungal drugs available for the control of these microorganisms, which has led the researchers in this area to look for new alternatives of drugs that have an action against these organisms. In this context, essential oils extracted from plants of the genus Ocimum have demonstrated the potential of antimicrobial action, especially antifungal activity, against fungi of the species Candida albicans, as described by several authors in the scientific literature. Therefore, the present project aims to evaluate the antifungal activity against Candida spp. and the biological effect of the essential oil on the hypha-forming virulence factor in Candida albicans (SC 5314). The evaluation of the antimicrobial effect will be evaluated through the broth microdilution assay (CSLI, M27-A3, 2008). The biological effect of the essential oil on the virulence factor of hypha formation will be evaluated through three experiments: analysis of the macroscopic morphology of the colonies and analysis of the microscopic cell in a 400x magnification under optical microscope; and analysis of germ tube formation: evaluated by counting germ tubes after 6 hours of incubation in 1: 2 ratio in fetal bovine serum. (AU)