Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Effects of mycelial extract and crude protein of the medicinal mushroom, Ophiocordyceps sobolifera, on the pathogenic fungus, Candida albicans

Aphidech Sangdee^1,2 , Kusavadee Sangdee^2,3, Benjaporn Buranrat³, Sutthiwan Thammawat³

¹Department of Biology; ²Microbiology and Applied Microbiology Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham 44150; ³Biomedical Sciences Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Mahasarakham University, Muang District, Maha Sarakham 44000, Thailand.

For correspondence:- Aphidech Sangdee Email: aphidech.s@msu.ac.th

Accepted: 27 November 2018 Published: 27 December 2018

Citation: Sangdee A, Sangdee K, Buranrat B, Thammawat S. Effects of mycelial extract and crude protein of the medicinal mushroom, Ophiocordyceps sobolifera, on the pathogenic fungus, Candida albicans. Trop J Pharm Res 2018; 17(12):2449-2454 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v17i12.21

© 2018 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the antifungal effect of the mycelial extracts and crude proteins of the medicinal mushroom, Ophiocordyceps sobolifera on Candida albicans.

Methods: The antifungal activities of the mycelial extracts and crude proteins of seven strains of the entomopathogenic fungus, Ophiocordyceps sobolifera, were screened against Candida albicans strain NCYC854 using an agar well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined using broth microdilution method. The kinetics of fungal death was elucidated via time-kill assays, and while ultrastructural alteration changes to fungal cells were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Results: The antifungal activities of the mycelial extracts were superior to those of the crude proteins. Among the isolates, Cod-KK1643 exhibited the highest activity with the lowest MIC against the test strains. Therefore, it was chosen for further investigations. The isolate Cod-KK1643 exhibited concentration- and time-dependent fungistatic activity in the time kill assay. However, these activities were absent in the crude protein of the isolate. Moreover, Cod-KK1643 mycelial extract induced morphological alterations in fungal cells, such as decreased cell size, and crushed or cracked appearance. Slight alterations in cell morphology (decreased cell size or crushed appearance) were observed in the crude protein treatment.

Conclusion: The mycelial extracts of the fungus, O. sobolifera (especially isolate Cod-KK1643) exert potent antifungal activity against human pathogenic fungus, C. albicans.

Keywords: Anti-fungal activity, Candida albicans, Entomopathogenic fungus, Ophiocordyceps sobolifera