Abstract

IN VITRO ANTIBIOFILM EFFECT OF CITRIC ACID AGAINST DUAL AND MIXED CULTURE BIOFILMS OF CANDIDA ALBICANS WITH DIFFERENT BACTERIA

*Anuya Aparna Rege and Manasi Ajit Naik

Abstract

Fungi and Bacteria are found together in a myriad of environments and particularly in a biofilm. Most biofilms found in natural, clinical or industrial environments are formed by 2 or more species of microorganisms and are thus called multispecies biofilms. Consequently, complex interactions between such diverse pathogens have significant clinical implications. Therefore, there is urgent need for effective antibiofilm agent targeting poly-microbial biofilms. Our earlier study has revealed antibiofilm potential of Citric Acid against 11 bacterial biofilms and biofilm of C. albicans. Hence, in the present in vitro study, Citric Acid was further evaluated for its Antibiofilm potential against Dual and Multispecies biofilms of C. albicans with different Bacteria. Likewise, four Combinations prepared from Citric Acid (CA) and the standard antibiotics, viz., Ciprofloxacin (CP) and Fluconazole (F) such as CP+F, CA+CP, CA+F and CA+CP+F were also evaluated to determine their combinatorial effect against Mixed as well as Dual species biofilms of C. albicans with different bacteria. Among the mixed species biofilms, Citric Acid as well as all the 4 combinations revealed strong antibiofilm potential against multispecies biofilms of Candida albicans + Mixed Bacterial Culture-I (4 Gram Negative Bacteria) and Candida albicans + Mixed Bacterial Culture-III (All 8 Bacteria). Besides, the highest antibiofilm activity of Citric Acid as well as all the 4 combinations was noted against Dual species biofilm of C. albicans + S. typhi followed by C. albicans + P. aeruginosa. Hence, Citric Acid could be a good candidate with antibiofilm potential against multispecies [Fungus + Bacteria] biofilms for further investigations.

Keywords: Citric Acid, Antibiofilm, Natural Products, Biofilm Assay, C. albicans, Mixed Culture.