In vitro antifungal activity of Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark and leaf essential oils against Candida albicans and Candida auris

Abstract

Candida infections are a significant source of patient morbidity and mortality. Candida albicans is the most common pathogen causing Candida infections. Candida auris is a newly described pathogen that is associated with multi-drug-resistant candidiasis and candidaemia in humans. The antifungal effects of various essential oils and plant compounds have been demonstrated against human pathogenic fungi. In this study, the effect of cinnamon leaf and bark essential oils (CEOs) was determined against both C. albicans and C. auris. The disc diffusion (direct and vapour) and broth microdilution method was used to determine antifungal activity of the EOs against selected strains (C. albicans ATCC 10231, C. albicans ATCC 2091 and C. auris NCPF 8971) whilst the mode of action and haemolysin activity of the CEOs were determined using electron microscopy and light microscopy. Direct and vapour diffusion assays showed greater inhibitory activity of bark CEO in comparison with leaf CEO. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of bark CEO for all tested strains was below 0.03% (v/v), which was lower than the MICs of the leaf CEO (0.06–0.13%, v/v) dependent on the strain and the MFCs at 0.25% (v/v). In the morphological interference assays, damage to the cell membrane was observed and both CEOs inhibited hyphae formation. The haemolysin production assay showed that CEOs can reduce the haemolytic activity in the tested C. albicans and C. auris strains. At low concentrations, CEOs have potent antifungal and antihaemolytic activities in vitro against C. albicans and C. auris. Key points • Essential oils from Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume bark and leaf (CBEO and CLEO) demonstrated fungicidal properties at very low concentrations. • The antifungal activity of CBEO was greater than that of CLEO consistent with other recent published literature. • The mode of action of CBEO and CLEO was damage to the membrane of C. albicans and C. auris. • Both CBEO and CLEO inhibited the formation of hyphae and reduced haemolysin production in C. albicans and C. auris.

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii Attenuates DSS‐Induced Colitis by Inhibiting the Colonization and Pathogenicity of Candida albicans

“…We also compared the activities of phospholipase, proteinase, and hemolysin of CA SC5314 (ATCC MYA‐2876) in different treatment groups, using CA (ATCC 10231) as the positive control. [ 50,53 ] We demonstrated that all the three virulence indices were significantly reduced in FP and FP sup‐treated groups compared to those in the FP med group. However, compared with the EC med group, the indices in EC and EC sup were higher (Figure 3H,I).…”

Acaricidal activity of Cinnamomum cassia (Chinese cinnamon) against the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis is linked to its content of (E)-cinnamaldehyde

“…cassia bark extract. In addition, in other species of Cinnamomum , ( E )-cinnamaldehyde is also a major component, and accounted for about 66.43% of Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark essential oil [ 31 ]. In the present study, the percent content of ( E )-cinnamaldehyde in the essential oil (89.95%) was higher than in the extract (50.79%).…”

Promising Drug Candidates and New Strategies for Fighting against the Emerging Superbug Candida auris

“…Bark and leaf essential oils from Cinnamomum zeylanicum proved in vitro antifungal activity against C. auris , by damaging the membrane and blocking the hyphae formation. From a chemical point of view, the main components of C. zeylanicum leaf is eugenol (62%) and C. zeylanicum bark is trans -cinnamaldehyde (66%), the other components being present at less than 7% [ 136 ].…”