Table 2.
Alternative products with reported antifungal activities against Candida species showing promise for antifungal drug development.
| Specific source | Biological active molecules/substances | Activity/putative mechanisms of action |
|---|---|---|
| New triazoles | Ravuconazole | Inhibits ergosterol biosynthesis |
| Albaconazole | Inhibits ergosterol biosynthesis | |
| Isavuconazole | Inhibits ergosterol biosynthesis | |
| Peptides | Lysozyme | Reduces SAP activity and secretion |
| Lactoferrin | Production of cationic antimicrobial peptide lactoferricin | |
| Defensins | Increases membrane permeability | |
| Histatin | Inhibition of adhesion | |
| Cathelicidins | Increases membrane permeability | |
| Plants (essential oils; terpenoids; saponins; phenolic compounds; alkaloids; peptides; proteins) | Curcumin | Inhibiting initial cell adhesion, biofilm growth, and gene expression |
| Eugenia dysenterica (catechin derivatives and flavonoids) | Inhibits planktonic growth | |
| Terminalia catappa (hydrolysable tannins (punicalin, punicalagin), gallic acid, and flavonoid C-glycosides) | Inhibits planktonic growth | |
| Carya illinoensis (gallic acid, ellagic acid, flavonoids – rutin – and tannins – catechins and epicatechins) | Inhibits the production of germ tubes | |
| Quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol (flavanols) | Inhibits planktonic growth | |
| Syzygium cordatum (gallotannin) | Inhibits planktonic growth | |
| Scutellaria baicalensis (baicalein) | Induces apoptosis in Candida albicans | |
| Ocotea odorifera (ellagitannins) | Potent activity against Candida parapsilosis | |
| Cymbopogon nardus essential oil | Inhibits hyphal growth in C. albicans | |
| Artemisia judaica essential oil | Inhibits the formation of germination tube and biofilms in C. albicans | |
| Thymol (terpene) | Binds to ergosterol in the membrane resulting in cell death | |
| Carvacrol (terpene) | Alters cellular cytoplasmic membrane and induces apoptosis | |
| Lannea welwitschii (alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, sapogenetic glycosides, tannins) | Wound healing | |
| Lonicera japonica (chlorogenic acid) | Antiwound infection, repair, and contraction |
SAP, secreted aspartic protease.