Electrospun essential oil-polycaprolactone nanofibers as antibiofilm surfaces against clinical Candida tropicalis isolates

ObjectiveAs an approach to prevent biofilm infections caused by Candida tropicalis on various surfaces, determination of effect of biodegradable polycaprolactone nanofibers (PCLNFs) with different concentrations of two different essential oils were tested in this study.ResultsBoth of the tested essential oils exhibited antifungal effect (minimal inhibitory concentration; 0.25-0.49 mu L/mL, minimal fungicidal concentration; 0.25-0.49 mu L/mL, depending on the C. tropicalis strain) (Zone of inhibition caused by 500 L/mL concentration of oils; 28-56mm). 0, 2, 4% clove oil PCLNFs and 0, 2, 4% red thyme oil-PCLNFs were free from bead formation and uniform in diameter. Diameters of all essential oil containing PCLNFs were ranged from 760 to 1100nm and were significantly different from 0% essential oil-PCLNF (P<0.05). 0, 2, 4% clove oil-PCLNFs were significantly more hydrophobic compared to 8% clove oil-PCLNF (P<0.01), whereas 0% and 2% red thyme oil-PCLNFs were significantly more hydrophobic compared to 4% and 8% red thyme oil PCLNFs (P<0.01). Highest amount of biofilm inhibition was observed by 4% clove oil-PCLNF and by 4% red thyme oil-PCLNF.ConclusionsClove and red thyme oils may be used not only as antifungals but also as biofilm inhibitive agents on surfaces of biomaterials that are frequently contaminated by C. tropicalis, when they are incorporated into PCLNFs.