An investigation of the inhibitory effects of dendrosomal nanocurcumin on Candida albicans and systemic candidiasis in BALB/c mice

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Use of curcumin, as a promising antifungal agent, is considered an alternative treatment for fungal infections; however, the low solubility of this agent limits its efficacy. Accordingly, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antifungal activities of dendrosomal nanocurcumin with improved solubility and bioavailability. MATERIALS AND METHODS The in vitro antifungal activities of several Candida species, including C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis , and C. dubliniensis, were evaluated, using the broth microdilution method. In the in vivo study, different doses of nanocurcumin (5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) were administered to mice with systemic C. albicans infection via intraperitoneal injection. All mice were euthanized at 20 days following the administration of different doses of nanocurcumin. Different organs were extracted for organ culture and histopathological investigation. RESULTS Based on the findings, 40 mg/kg of nanocurcumin significantly decreased the fungal load in the evaluated organs; the results were confirmed with histopathological examination. The kidney was found to be the most affected organ with the highest number of severe lesions. Yeasts and pseudohyphae were observed in the blood vessels, kidney, and brain. Also, yeasts were present in the liver, brain, lungs, and heart of the control group. CONCLUSION Although curcumin is generally an excellent antifungal component, its nano-sized form showed more potent properties. Based on the gathered data, dendrosomal nanocurcumin is an effective antifungal agent with good efficacy against disseminated candidiasis. However, further studies are required to evaluate the effects of dendrosomal nanocurcumin on other fungal infections. Also, this agent could be useful for the prevention of fungal infections, such as candidiasis, particularly in high-risk patients.