Effect of a novel phyto-compound on mucosal candidiasis: further evidence from an ex vivo study

To isolate, identify and determine the prevalence of yeasts in the oral cavity of individuals and to test the minimum inhibitory dilution (MID) of Kolorex against the yeasts isolated.

Twenty-nine individuals of both sexes aged on average 61.3 years were evaluated at the dental clinic in order to isolate and identify yeasts from their oral cavity, with and without lesions, and to determine the MID of the commercial phyto-product Kolorex against the strains isolated. The antifungal activity of the product tested was determined by the technique of dilution on a solid medium. Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) was measured by biotinylated antibody assay by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Yeasts of the genus Candida were detected in the saliva of 45.4% of the 11 individuals with a clinically healthy mouth and in 88.2% of 17 individuals with oral lesions. In the group with oral candidiasis we isolated in tongue and lesion, respectively, for each species: C. tropicalis (5.8% and 11.7%), C. glabrata (5.8% and 5.8%) and C. parapsilosis (0% and 5.8%), in addition to C. albicans as the only species or in association with others, respectively (64.7% and 70.5%). The total clonal formation unit (CFU) (counts/mL) in the saliva showed a higher mean value in the group with oral candidiasis (158.3x10(3)) than in the control group (64.6x10(3)). Most of the 70 test strains (95.7%) were sensitive to Kolorex by presenting a MID of 1:20. Sixty percent of strains from the 70 healthy sites showed results similar to those obtained with strains from oral lesions. Different results were mainly observed among different species. Patients with oral lesions showed a significant time-course increase of the level of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP 1) as compared to those without lesions or to healthy people in whom Candida has not been detected (P<0.05). Co-culture with Kolorex using aliquots from the same patients with oral lesions inhibited such event (P<0.05).

Although this study was focused on oral cavity candidiasis, the results indicate the possibility of a broader use of the antifungal Kolorex in the prevention and treatment of mucosal candidiasis located elsewhere.