Antifungal activity of 3,3'-dimethoxycurcumin (DMC) against dermatophytes and Candida species

Dermatomycosis is an infection with global impacts caused especially by dermatophytes and Candida species. Current antifungal therapies involve drugs that face fungal resistance barriers. This clinical context emphasizes the need to discover new antifungal agents. Herein, the antifungal potential of 10 curcumin analogs was evaluated against four Candida and four dermatophyte species. The most active compound, 3,3'-dimethoxycurcumin, exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 1.9‒62.5 to 15.6‒62.5 µg ml-1 against dermatophytes and Candida species, respectively. According to the checkerboard method, the association between DMC and terbinafine demonstrated a synergistic effect against Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton floccosum. Ergosterol binding test indicated DMC forms a complex with ergosterol of Candida albicans, C. krusei, and C. tropicalis. However, results from the sorbitol protection assay indicated that DMC had no effect on the cell walls of Candida species. The in vivo toxicity, using Galleria mellonella larvae, indicated no toxic effect of DMC. Altogether, curcumin analog DMC was a promising antifungal agent with a promising ability to act against Candida and dermatophyte species.

Molecular detection and species identification of dermatophytes by SYBR-Green real-time PCR in house methodology using hair samples obtained from dogs and cats

The classical dermatophytes diagnosis is based on mycological culture and microscopy observation both human and animal hair, skin and nail samples. The aim of this work was to develop the new in-house real-time PCR with pan-dematophyte reaction for detection and identification of the main dermatophytes directly from hair samples, providing a simple and rapid diagnosis of dermatophytosis in dogs and cats. An in house SYBR-Green real-time PCR was designed and used for detecting a DNA fragment encoding chitin synthase 1 (CHS1). A total of 287 samples were processed by culture, microscopic examination with KOH 10% and quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis. Melting curve analysis of CHS1 fragment revealed to be reproducible, showing a single distinct peak for each species of dermatophyte, namely Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton verrucosum Microsporum canis and Nannizzia gypsea (formerly Microsporum gypseum). Then, out of the 287 clinically suspected cases of dermatophytosis, 50% were positive for dermatophytes by qPCR, 44% by mycological culture and 25% by microscopic examination. M. canis was identified in 117 samples tested by culture and 134 samples tested by qPCR, followed by N. gypsea in 5 samples (either tested by culture or qPCR) and T. mentagrophytes detected in 4 and 5 samples when tested by culture or qPCR, respectively. Overall, qPCR allowed the diagnosis of dermatophytosis in clinical samples. The results suggest this newly proposed in house real-time PCR assay can be used as alternative diagnosis and rapid identification of dermatophytes frequently associated to clinical hair samples of dogs and cats.