Curcuma longa L. Extract and Photodynamic Therapy are Effective against Candida spp. and Do Not Show Toxicity In Vivo

Radiotherapy induces a higher level of Candida spp. colonization, resulting in oral candidiasis. This study aimed to evaluate the phototransformation potential of the glycolic extract of Curcuma longa (C. longa); the antifungal activity of C. longa, curcumin, and antifungal photodynamic therapy (aPDT) with blue light-emitting diodes LED on Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis in vitro; and the toxicity of C. longa and curcumin in Galleria mellonella model. In order to confirm the light absorption capacity of the C. longa extract, its phototransformation potential was evaluated. The antifungal effect of C. longa, curcumin, and aPDT was evaluated over Candida spp. Finally, the toxicity of C. longa and curcumin was evaluated on the Galleria mellonella model. The data were analyzed using the GraphPad Prism 5.0 software considering alpha = 5%. It was found that C. longa, curcumin, and aPDT using blue LED have an antifungal effect over C. albicans and C. tropicalis. The extract of C. longa 100 mg/mL and curcumin 200 mu g/mL do not show toxicity on Galleria mellonella model.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the phototransformation potential of the glycolic extract of Curcuma longa and the antifungal activity of Curcuma longa, curcumin, and antifungal photodynamic therapy (aPDT) with blue light-emitting diodes (LED) on Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis in vitro. The toxicity of Curcuma longa and curcumin in a Galleria mellonella model was also assessed. The results showed that Curcuma longa, curcumin, and aPDT using blue LED had an antifungal effect on both Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. Furthermore, the extract of Curcuma longa and curcumin did not exhibit toxicity in the Galleria mellonella model.