Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds
08:54

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds

Published on: February 14, 2018

18.9K

Synthesis and antifungal evaluation against Candida spp. of the (E)-3-(furan-2-yl)acrylic acid

Paulo César Trindade da Costa1, Thales Luciano Bezerra Santos2, Jaqueline Ferreira Ramos3

  • 1Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraiba, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, PB, 58051-900, Brazil. paulocesarnutricionista@gmail.com.

Brazilian Journal of Microbiology : [Publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]
|November 23, 2023
PubMed

Insights

A novel compound, (E)-3-(furan-2-yl)acrylic acid, shows significant antifungal activity against Candida species. It also demonstrated synergistic effects with amphotericin B and reduced Candida albicans virulence factors.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

  • Fungal infections, primarily caused by Candida species like Candida albicans, pose a significant threat to human health.
  • Developing novel antifungal agents is crucial due to increasing drug resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize and evaluate the antifungal potential of (E)-3-(furan-2-yl)acrylic acid against pathogenic Candida species.
  • To investigate the compound's synergistic effects, impact on Candida albicans morphology and virulence, and its fungistatic properties.

Main Methods:

  • Chemical synthesis of (E)-3-(furan-2-yl)acrylic acid with yield determination.
  • Antifungal susceptibility testing using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays against four Candida species.
  • Evaluation of synergistic and antagonistic effects in combination with amphotericin B and fluconazole.
  • Microscopic observation of morphological changes in Candida albicans.
  • Growth kinetics analysis to determine the fungistatic profile.
  • Assessment of ergosterol biosynthesis stimulation.

Main Results:

  • High synthesis yield (88%) achieved for (E)-3-(furan-2-yl)acrylic acid.
  • The compound exhibited antifungal activity with MICs ranging from 64 to 512 μg/mL against tested Candida species.
  • Synergistic antifungal effect observed when combined with amphotericin B against Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis.
  • The compound induced morphological alterations in Candida albicans, reducing virulence factors and reproductive structures.
  • Fungistatic activity confirmed through growth kinetics studies.
  • Stimulation of ergosterol biosynthesis in Candida albicans was noted.

Conclusions:

  • (E)-3-(furan-2-yl)acrylic acid is a promising candidate for antifungal drug development.
  • Its synergistic potential with existing antifungals and ability to reduce virulence warrant further investigation.
  • The compound's mechanism may involve modulating ergosterol biosynthesis and inducing cellular stress responses in Candida species.
Keywords:
CandidaAntimicrobialCheckerboardErgosterolMorphological transition

More Related Videos

Quantifying the Antifungal Activity of Peptides Against Candida albicans06:45

Quantifying the Antifungal Activity of Peptides Against Candida albicans

Published on: January 13, 2023

2.3K
A Soluble Tetrazolium-Based Reduction Assay to Evaluate the Effect of Antibodies on Candida tropicalis Biofilms06:50

A Soluble Tetrazolium-Based Reduction Assay to Evaluate the Effect of Antibodies on Candida tropicalis Biofilms

Published on: September 16, 2022

3.2K

Related Concept Videos

Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...