Ascorbic acid modulates pathogenecity markers of Candida albicans

Candida albicans is an opportunistic commensal of the human gastrointestinal tract and vaginal mucosa, causing opportunistic fungal infections in an immunocompromised patient. In the present study we have investigated the effect of ascorbic acid on growth and its several pathogenicity markers. Turbidometric measurement for growth; proteinase assay, WST-1 cell cytotoxicity assay, colony count method and inverted microscopy were performed to check pathogenecity markers of C. albicans ATCC 10261 strain. 150 mg/ml concentration of ascorbic acid arrests cell growth. It was observed that higher ascorbate level of 250 mg/ml reduces proteinase secretion (an important mechanism suggestive of virulence in Candida) exhibited by mean precipitation zone value of 2.375 which is remarkably less than that of Control cells (value 4.125). At higher concentration of ascorbic acid increases cell cytotoxcity (79.71 percent inhibition at 150 mg/ml) and decreases percent viability under oxidative stress (98 percent reduction at 250 mg/ml concentration). Transition studies showed cessation of germ tube induction and hyphae formation at lower concentrations (15 mg onwards) of ascorbic acid. Results indicate that higher ascorbic acid level somehow decreases pathogenic attribute of Candida albicans, while yeast to hyphal studies show an exception, were lower concentration was effective in inhibiting hyphae formation. Thus ascorbic acid exhibits its pro-oxidant nature in present in-vitro studies.