An In Vitro Evaluation of Anti-fungal Activity of Different Nano forms of Fluconazole Against Candida albicans

Abstract

Objective: The study aims to compare the antifungal effectiveness of nine different nano-particle- containing fluconazole variants with the standard form of fluconazole against Candida albicans in a laboratory setting. Design: The study is an experimental laboratory-based study. Setting: The research was conducted in the department of Medical Laboratory Sciences at Gulf Medical University, Ajman. Subjects: The study used standard strains of pathogenic Candida albicans ATCC66027 for experimentation. Intervention: Candida albicans was exposed to varying concentrations of nine different nano- particle-containing fluconazole forms. The mixture of the organism and drug was incubated for 2 minutes, followed by transferring 50 µL to Sabouraud Dextrose agar plates. These plates were then incubated at 37 °C for 48 hours. Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome measure was the counting of colonies using a colony counter, with the number of CFUs/mL plotted against the concentration of different nano forms of fluconazole to estimate differences in effectiveness. Results: The findings suggest that the nano form of fluconazole effectively inhibits the growth of Candida albicans, especially at higher concentrations, compared to the normal form of fluconazole. The study highlights that the small size of the nano agents allows for better penetration of fluconazole, enhancing its effectiveness against Candida albicans. Conclusion: The study concludes that nano-particle-containing fluconazole variants demonstrate significant variations in reducing the colony count of Candida albicans when compared to the standard form of fluconazole.