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The efficacy of luliconazole and caspofungin on planktonic and biofilm of Candida albicans from different sources

Summary

Candida albicans, a common yeast infection organism, can form tough protective structures called biofilms that resist antifungal medications. This study tested two antifungal drugs (luliconazole and caspofungin) against Candida in both regular form and biofilm form. The results showed that while these drugs work well against regular Candida cells, they are much less effective against biofilms, which require 15-171 times higher doses to be inhibited. The strongest biofilms came from vaginal infections, suggesting that different infection types may require different treatment approaches.

Background

Candida albicans is an important pathogenic yeast that can form biofilms, which are complex structures resistant to antifungal drugs. Biofilm formation is considered a major virulence factor in candidiasis, and the reduced sensitivity of biofilms to antifungal agents presents a significant clinical challenge.

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of luliconazole and caspofungin against both planktonic and biofilm forms of C. albicans isolates from various clinical and environmental sources including vaginitis, candiduria, gastrointestinal candidiasis, and saliva.

Results

All isolates produced biofilm after 24 hours, with vaginal isolates showing the highest biofilm production. For planktonic cells, 90% of isolates were sensitive to caspofungin while luliconazole MIC ranged from 0.01562-1 μg/mL. Biofilm MICs were 15.6-fold and 171.3-fold higher than planktonic cells for caspofungin and luliconazole respectively, with paradoxical and trailing effects observed at high concentrations.

Conclusion

Biofilm formation capability varies by source, with vaginal isolates showing the strongest biofilm production and environmental isolates the weakest. Both antifungals are effective against planktonic forms but significantly less effective against biofilms, demonstrating the major challenge of treating biofilm-related candidiasis.
  • Published in:Iran Journal of Microbiology,
  • Study Type:In vitro susceptibility study,
  • Source: PMID: 40785712, DOI: 10.18502/ijm.v17i4.19261
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