PLANT EXTRACTS AS A PROBABLE BIORESOURCE TO FORMULATE GROWTH MEDIA FOR CANDIDA ALBICANS

Abstract

Introduction: Heavy price of microbiological culture media is a major financial challenge for diagnostic laboratories that require accurate and swift pathogen identification for infectious disease diagnosis. Therefore, the present study is aimed at evaluating growth parameters of Candida albicans on plant extract-based, economical media.

Material & Methods: Native edible/medicinal plants were used to prepare extracts which served as major component of medium. Results of extract media combinations (EMCs) were compared to that of reference medium potato dextrose broth (PDB).

Results: Growth kinetics presented short lag phase followed by log phase; lasted for 3 days in PDB and 2 days in EMCs. Biomass values on EMCs were statistically not significant (P= > 0.05) with values of PDB on day 2. Media pH was acidic, reducing sugars were present on day 2 in PDB, neem bark + sugarcane peel extract; (SPEX); NBS, date bark + SPEX + yeast extract; DBSY and undetectable in coconut bark + SPEX; CBS. Dry cell weight results in EMCs (excluding CBS) on day 2-10 were at par with PDB whereas: protein content in PDB /EMCs was low. Electron microscopy showed elongated budding cells with extracellular matrix in PDB/EMCs however, cellular elongation was more prominent in EMCs. Productivity ratio was higher in DBSY followed by NBS whereas, absolute growth index score on NBS was equivalent to that of potato dextrose agar.

Conclusion: Above results indicate efficacy of these EMCs as growth medium plus a tool for rapid differentiation between Candida albicans and non- albicans species based on morphology.