Influence of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) on biofilm production by Candida species

Candida spp. are important causative agents of infections associated with biofilm, formation. Management of biofilm-related infections is extremely difficult and therefore new therapeutic solutions are needed. This study for the first time explored the possible effect of aspirin on Candida spp. Biofilm-producing capacity. Two strains of C. guilliermondii, and one strain per species of C. kefyr, C. glabrata, C. albicans, and C. parapsilosis were included in the study. The antifungal property of aspirin was tested by the broth microdilution method, while effect of aspirin on biofilm formation was determined by the microtiter-plate test. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of aspirin obtained ranged from 2.17 to 8.67 mM and minimal fungicidal concentrations were from 4.33 to 8.67 mM. The concentrations of aspirin which induced statistically significant decrease in biofilm formation ranged from 0.43 mM to 1.73 mM of aspirin, depending on the tested yeast strain. Therefore, the significant effects of aspirin on growth and biofilm, formation of Candida spp. were achieved only with suprapharmacological concentrations of the drug. The influence of the inoculum size on the effect of aspirin on biofilm formation was determined for C. albicans only and a significant decrease was observed also at suprapharmacological concentrations of aspirin, irrespective of the inoculum size. The results obtained in the present study show aspirin to be a drug with the potential to affect and suppress biofilm formation by Candida spp., and provide support for further investigation.