Antibiofilm activity of essential oils in Candida spp. : a literature review

Abstract

Species of the genus Candida, despite part of the normal human microbiota, can cause important fungal infections ranging from superficial clinical manifestations to fatal invasive lesions. Most of these infections are related to the ability of Candida spp. To form biofilm, which results in increased resistance to antifungal agents, such as ketoconazole, amphotericin b and fluconazole, hindering proper treatment. The increase in these infections together with increased resistance to antifungal drugs has made it necessary to seek new therapeutic alternatives. Among the new alternatives is the search for essential oils of plants that have antibiofilm properties. A search was performed in the Science direct, Scopus, PubMed and Scielo databases. From this search, a total of 39 essential oils were found, related to antibiofilm activity in front of Candida species, among them are lemon grass, eucalyptus, cinnamon and tea tree oils. The data found in this review demonstrated the antibiofilm activity of most essential oils, suggesting that they can be used as new treatment alternatives and reinforcing the need for further studies to prove their efficacy.