A comparative study of in-vitro and in-silico anti-candidal activity and GC-MS profiles of snow mountain garlic vs. normal garlic

Aim The study aimed to profile the volatile phytocomposition of snow mountain garlic (SMG) compared to normal garlic and investigate the anti-Candida efficacy against clinically relevant multi-drug resistant isolates of Candida species. Methods and Results Herein, SMG has shown significantly superior fungicidal power at 2x-MIC dose against C. albicans and C. glabrata in killing kinetic evaluation unlike the fungistatic effect of normal garlic. GC-MS headspace-based profiling of SMG showed 5 unique volatile compounds and a 5-fold higher content of saponins than normal garlic. In an in-silico analysis, cholesta-4,6-dien-3-ol,(3-beta) was uniquely identified in SMG as a potential inhibitor with high binding affinity to the active site of exo-1,3-betaglucan synthase, an established anti-candida drug target crucial for the biofilm matrix formation, thus suggesting a plausible anti-Candida mechanism. Conclusion The in-vitro and in-silico studies have demonstrated the Candida-cidal and anti-biofilm activities of SMG, distinguishing it from the Candida-static efficacy of normal garlic. Significance and Impact of the study This is the first report that identifies several phytochemical signatures of SMG along with a potential anti-Candida compound, that is cholesta-4,6-dien-3-ol,(3-beta)-, which appears worthy of detailed studies in the future to explore the utility of SMG as a fungal phytotherapy agent, especially against drug-resistant Candida sp.

Automated summary

This study aimed to compare the volatile phytocomposition of snow mountain garlic (SMG) with normal garlic and investigate its anti-Candida efficacy against multi-drug resistant isolates of Candida species. The results showed that SMG has superior fungicidal power against C. albicans and C. glabrata compared to normal garlic. GC-MS profiling revealed unique volatile compounds and higher saponins content in SMG. In-silico analysis identified a potential inhibitor in SMG, suggesting a plausible anti-Candida mechanism. This study provides valuable insights into the potential use of SMG as a fungal phytotherapy agent.