Vitamin D3 a new drug against Candida albicans

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we demonstrate that vitamin D₃ had fungicidal activity against Candida albicans.

Material and methods: The susceptibility of the yeast strain to the vitamin D₃ was investigated by the antimicrobial screening using modified agar diffusion method, minimum fungistatic concentrations (MFC_s) and minimum fungicide concentrations (MFC_C) of the vitamin D₃ were determined by the broth dilution method.

Results: The antifungal activity indicted that 100μg/ml of vitamin D₃ had a power inhibition in the growth of C. albicans with zone of inhibition 12.5mm and CMF_C and CMF_s were 1.58±0.0764μg/ml.

Conclusion: These values indicate that vitamin D₃ can be considered to have fungicide activity. This antifungal effect may be due to the large lipsolubility of vitamin D₃ changing the integrity of the cell membrane.

Keywords: Activité fongicide; Candida albicans; Concentrations minimales fongicide (MFC(c)); Concentrations minimales fongistatiques (MFC(s)); Fungicidal activity; Minimum fungicide concentrations (MFC(c)); Minimum fungistatic concentrations (MFC(s)); Vitamin D(3); Vitamine D(3).