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Assessment of Plant Lectin Antifungal Potential Against Yeasts of Major Importance in Medical Mycology

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Abstract

The search for new compounds with antifungal activity is accelerating due to rising yeast and fungal resistance to commonly prescribed drugs. Among the molecules being investigated, plant lectins can be highlighted. The present work shows the potential of six plant lectins which were tested in vitro against yeasts of medical importance, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, Cryptococcus gattii, Cryptococcus neoformans, Malassezia pachydermatis, Rhodotorula sp. and Trichosporon sp. Broth microdilution susceptibility testing was performed in accordance with standard protocols to evaluate antifungal activity. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined at 80 % yeast growth inhibition, whereas the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was evaluated after making the subcultures of each dilution. Only C. parapsilosis growth was inhibited by the lectins tested. Abelmoschus esculentus lectin showed the highest MIC (0.97 μg ml−1). Lectins from Canavalia brasiliensis, Mucuna pruriens and Clitoria fairchildiana presented the highest MFC at (3.90 μg ml−1). These results encourage further studies with wider yeast strain selections, and open new perspectives for the development of pharmacological molecules.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) for the financial support and the scholarship granted to G.B. Klafke and L.G. Monte; and FAPERGS (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul) for the scholarship granted to G.M.S.G. Moreira.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Campus Universitário Capão do Leão, CP 354, Pelotas city, RS, CEP 96010-900, Brazil

    Gabriel Baracy Klafke, Gustavo Marçal Schmitt Garcia Moreira, Leonardo Garcia Monte, Odir Antonio Dellagostin & Luciano da Silva Pinto

  2. Laboratório de Micologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Campus Saúde, CP 102, Rio Grande city, RS, CEP 96203-900, Brazil

    Gabriel Baracy Klafke, Juliano Lacava Pereira, Tchana Martinez Brandolt & Melissa Orzechowski Xavier

  3. Departamento de Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa city, PB, CEP 58059-900, Brazil

    Tatiane Santi-Gadelha

  4. Laboratório de Biotecnologia Vegetal e Proteômica, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Capão do Leão, RS, 96010-900, Brazil

    Luciano da Silva Pinto

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  1. Gabriel Baracy Klafke
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  2. Gustavo Marçal Schmitt Garcia Moreira
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  3. Leonardo Garcia Monte
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  8. Odir Antonio Dellagostin
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  9. Luciano da Silva Pinto
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Correspondence to Gabriel Baracy Klafke.

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Klafke, G.B., Moreira, G.M.S.G., Monte, L.G. et al. Assessment of Plant Lectin Antifungal Potential Against Yeasts of Major Importance in Medical Mycology. Mycopathologia 175, 147–151 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-012-9596-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-012-9596-x

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