| Title |
The Photodynamic Effect of Methylene Blue and Toluidine Blue on Candida albicans Is Dependent on Medium Conditions |
| Author |
Gabriela Guimarães Carvalho, Monalisa Poliana Felipe, and Maricilia Silva Costa* |
| Address |
Universidade do Vale do Paraíba-UNIVAP, Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento-IP&D, Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911. CEP: 12244-000, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil |
| Bibliography |
Journal of Microbiology, 47(5),619-623, 2009,
|
| DOI |
|
| Key Words |
photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy, C. albicans, methylene blue, toluidine blue |
| Abstract |
Due to the increased number of immunocompromised patients, the infections associated with the pathogen of the genus Candida and other fungi have increased dramatically. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) has been presented as a potential antimicrobial therapy, in a process that combines light and a photosensitizing drug, which promotes a phototoxic response by the treated cells. In this work, we studied the effects of the different medium conditions during PACT, using either methylene blue (MB) or toluidine blue (TB) on Candida albicans. The inhibition of the growth produced by PACT was decreased for different pH values (6.0, 7.0, and 8.0) in a buffered medium. The phototoxic effects were observed only
in the presence of saline (not buffered medium). PACT was modulated by calcium in a different manner using either MB or TB. Also when using MB both verapamil or sodium azide were able to decrease the phototoxic effects on the C. albicans. These results show that PACT is presented as a new and promising antifungal therapy, however, new studies are necessary to understand the mechanism by which this event occurs. |
