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In Vitro Fungicidal Photodynamic Effect of Hypericin on Trichophyton spp

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Abstract

Hypericin is a natural photosensitizer used in photodynamic therapy (PDT), which has shown in vitro antifungal effect against Candida spp. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro fungicidal effect of hypericin-PDT on dermatophytes. Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes strains were incubated with different concentrations of hypericin for different times and exposed to light-emitting diode lamp (602 ± 10 nm, 10.3 mW cm−2, and fluence 37 J cm−2). Using the optimal incubation time, 60 min, a 3-log fungicidal effect was achieved with hypericin concentration ranges of 10–20 μM for T. rubrum and 20–50 μM for T. mentagrophytes (p = 0.95). Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed the localization of hypericin inside the dermatophytes diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm of conidia and hyphae and outside the nucleus. In conclusion, hypericin-PDT has a fungicidal effect in vitro on dermatophytes. Hypericin seems to be a promising photosensitizer to treat localized dermatophytic infections such as tinea pedis and onychomycosis.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Research Groups B65 and B85 from the Department of Science, Technology and University of the Government of Aragón, Spain.

Conflict of interest

None declared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza University, Paseo Isabel la Católica 1-3, IIS Aragón, 50009, Saragossa, Spain

    Manuel Pablo Paz-Cristobal, M. José Revillo & Antonio Rezusta

  2. Unit of Dermatology, San Jorge Hospital, Huesca, Spain

    Yolanda Gilaberte

  3. Institute of Health Sciences of Aragón, Saragossa, Spain

    Yolanda Gilaberte

  4. Laboratory of Microbiology of Water, Town Hall Institute of Public Health, Saragossa, Spain

    Carmen Alejandre

  5. Apoptosis, Immunity and Cancer, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Sciences Faculty, University of Zaragoza, Saragossa, Spain

    Julián Pardo

  6. Aragón I+D (ARAID), Government of Aragón, Saragossa, Spain

    Julián Pardo

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  1. Manuel Pablo Paz-Cristobal
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  2. Yolanda Gilaberte
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  3. Carmen Alejandre
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  4. Julián Pardo
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  5. M. José Revillo
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  6. Antonio Rezusta
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Correspondence to Manuel Pablo Paz-Cristobal.

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Paz-Cristobal, M.P., Gilaberte, Y., Alejandre, C. et al. In Vitro Fungicidal Photodynamic Effect of Hypericin on Trichophyton spp. Mycopathologia 178, 221–225 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-014-9797-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-014-9797-6

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