Pharmaceutical Biology (Jan 2017)

Anti-cryptococcal activity of ethanol crude extract and hexane fraction from Ocimum basilicum var. Maria bonita: mechanisms of action and synergism with amphotericin B and Ocimum basilicum essential oil

  • Nathalia N. R. Cardoso,
  • Celuta S. Alviano,
  • Arie F. Blank,
  • Maria de Fátima Arrigoni-Blank,
  • Maria Teresa V. Romanos,
  • Marcel M. L. Cunha,
  • Antonio Jorge R. da Silva,
  • Daniela S. Alviano

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2017.1302483
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 55, no. 1
pp. 1380 – 1388

Abstract

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Context: Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) has been used in folk medicine to treat headaches, kidney disorders, and intestinal worms. Objective: This study evaluates the anti-cryptococcal activity of ethanol crude extract and hexane fraction obtained from O. basilicum var. Maria Bonita leaves. Materials and methods: The MIC values for Cryptococcus sp. were obtained according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute in a range of 0.3–2500 μg/mL. The checkerboard assay evaluated the association of the substances tested (in a range of 0.099–2500 μg/mL) with amphotericin B and O. basilicum essential oil for 48 h. The ethanol extract, hexane fraction and associations in a range of 0.3–2500 μg/mL were tested for pigmentation inhibition after 7 days of treatment. The inhibition of ergosterol synthesis and reduction of capsule size were evaluated after the treatment with ethanol extract (312 μg/mL), hexane fraction (78 μg/mL) and the combinations of essential oil + ethanol extract (78 μg/mL + 19.5 μg/mL, respectively) and essential oil + hexane fraction (39.36 μg/mL + 10 μg/mL, respectively) for 24 and 48 h, respectively. Results: The hexane fraction presented better results than the ethanol extract, with a low MIC (156 μg/mL against C. neoformans T444 and 312 μg/mL against C. neoformans H99 serotype A and C. gattii WM779 serotype C). The combination of the ethanol extract and hexane fraction with amphotericin B and essential oil enhanced their antifungal activity, reducing the concentration of each substance needed to kill 100% of the inoculum. The substances tested were able to reduce the pigmentation, capsule size and ergosterol synthesis, which suggest they have important mechanisms of action. Conclusions: These results provide further support for the use of ethanol extracts of O. basilicum as a potential source of antifungal agents.

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