In Vitro Candidacidal Action of Korean Red Ginseng Saponins against Candida albicans

Abstract

Korean red ginseng saponins (ginsenosides) have been reported as having various biological properties, but the antifungal effects and the mode of action of ginsenosides remain mostly unknown. In this study, saponins were isolated from Korean red ginseng, and the antifungal effects of ginsenosides were investigated. Ginsenosides showed fungicidal effects toward pathogenic fungi tested. To elucidate the antifungal mode of action of ginsenosides, flow cytometry analysis and the change in membrane dynamics using 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH), as a plasma membrane probe, were performed with Candida albicans. The results suggest that ginsenosides may exert antifungal activity by disrupting the structure of cell membrane. The present study indicates that ginsenosides have considerable antifungal activity, deserving further investigation for clinical applications.

Hyphal Morphology and Elongation Alterations in <i>Aspergillus nidulans</i> Provoked by the Diterpene Kaurenoic Acid

“…Aspergillus nidulans strain FGSC A26 (biA1, veA1) was maintained according Vanzela and Said [12] and grown at 30˚C for seven days before inoculating them on the culture medium (MM) containing nitrate salts and trace elements prepared according to Käfer [13] supplemented with 0.5% glucose and 0.02 µg/mL biotin; 1.8% agar was added and the pH was adjusted to 6.0.…”

The Combination Effect of Korean Red Ginseng Saponins with Kanamycin and Cefotaxime against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

“…KRG saponins were extracted according to the method described in the previous study. 9) Briefly, KRG saponins were extracted with 80% MeOH (1 ml) from freeze-dried ginseng hairy root tissue (1 g) and sonicated at 40°C for 1 h. The methanol extract was centrifuged at 1000 rpm for 10 min and evaporated. The dried pellet was re-extracted with water-saturated nBuOH.…”

New pharmacological properties of Medicago sativa and Saponaria officinalis saponin-rich fractions addressed to Candida albicans

“…Moreover, we showed the significant influence of SFs on the reduction of C. albicans adherence and biofilm formation, as well as on the eradication of mature (24 h) Candida biofilm. It is important to note that bactericidal and fungicidal (mainly against some plant fungi and a limited number of human pathogens) activity of M. sativa saponins, based on an assessment of MIC, have been reported previously Balestrazzi et al, 2011;Carelli et al, 2011;D'Addabbo et al, 2011;Sung & Lee, 2008;. However, data on antifungal activity of M. sativa and S. officinalis SFs in the context of yeast adhesion and biofilm formation, to the best of our knowledge, are reported here for the first time.…”