Targeted treatment of oral candidiasis caused by Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis using diosmetin: A phytotherapeutic approach in dentistry.

OBJECTIVE

Oral candidiasis is a fungal infectious disease in the oral cavity caused by several Candida species, especially in immunocompromised individuals. To address this issue, an effective treatment approach must be developed. This study aimed to find an effective and alternative anticandidal therapeutics from natural sources to combat Candida species that are predominantly involved in oral candidiasis.

DESIGN

Candida strains were screened from oral candidiasis cases. The anticandidal effect of different phytocompounds were screened against C. albicans and C. parapsilosis via ZOI, MIC, and MFC assessment. Further, the antibiofilm effect of diosmetin was evaluated using CV staining, MTT assay, CFU count, and CLSM analysis. Molecular docking of diosmetin with virulence protein secreted aspartyl protease of Candida species was investigated using Auto Dock Tools and PyMOL. The biocompatibility nature of diosmetin was checked on human RBCs and human gingival epithelial cells (HGECs).

RESULTS

Diosmetin exhibits excellent anticandidal effect against different Candida species. The MIC and MFC of diosmetin against C. albicans and C. parapsilosis were found as 102-143 µM and 200 µM, respectively. Diosmetin demonstrates effective eradication of mature biofilm at 1.25xMIC (128-179 µM) within 48 h treatment. Diosmetin forms a strong binding affinity with secreted aspartyl proteases. It has great biocompatibility on human RBCs and cytocompatibility on HGECs up to 10 mM and 200 µM, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests that diosmetin might be an effective, safe and alternative anticandidal therapeutic agent to treat oral candidiasis caused by Candida species in humans.