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. 2021 Oct 11;10(10):2153.
doi: 10.3390/plants10102153.

In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Biosynthesized with Beech Bark Extract

Anca Delia Mare  1 , Cristina Nicoleta Ciurea  1   2 , Adrian Man  1 , Mihai Mareș  3 , Felicia Toma  1 , Lavinia Berța  4 , Corneliu Tanase  5
Affiliations

In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Biosynthesized with Beech Bark Extract

Anca Delia Mare et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

Biosynthesis is a green method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). This study aimed to assess the antifungal activity of two silver nanoparticle solutions, synthesized using beech bark extract (BBE) and acetate and nitrate silver salts (AgNP Acetate BBE and AgNP Nitrate BBE), their influence on biofilm production, their potential synergistic effects with fluconazole, on different Candida spp., and their influence on virulence factors of C. albicans (germ tube production, gene expression for ALS3, SAP2, HSP70). Both the AgNP BBEs presented different minimum inhibitory concentrations for all the studied Candida spp., but biofilm production was inhibited only for C. albicans and C. guilliermondii. The growth rates of all the studied Candida spp. were inhibited in the presence of both AgNP BBEs, except for C. auris. Synergistic activity was observed for C. parapsilosis and C. guilliermondii, for different combinations of fluconazole with both the AgNP BBEs. The germ tube production of C. albicans was slightly inhibited by the AgNP BBEs. Only AgNP Acetate BBE was able to down-regulate the expression of SAP2. Overall, we can conclude that, even if more studies are necessary, AgNPs synthesized with beech bark extract might be an interesting alternative to classic antifungal treatments.

Keywords: ALS3; HSP70; SAP2; antifungal activity; beech bark; biofilm inhibition; fluconazole synergism; silver nanoparticles.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The effect of the AgNP BBEs on the growth rate of Candida spp.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Checkerboard method—FIC results from synergy tests for AgNP BBEs in combination with fluconazole. The results highlighted in green (≤0.5) were considered synergistic, results highlighted in yellow (0.5–2) were considered indifferent, and results highlighted in red (>2) were considered antagonistic.
Figure 3
Figure 3
AgNP BBEs’ effect on C. albicans germ tube production.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The influence of AgNP BBEs on C. albicans gene expression for ALS3, SAP2, and HSP70.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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