Antiepileptic Drugs Inhibit Growth, Dimorphism, and Biofilm Mode of Growth in Human Pathogen Candida albicans
Abstract
Exploring the potential of existing drugs for their unknown properties may offer advantages over conventional drug development by saving time and money. Candida albicans, an important human opportunist, shares many genetic properties with humans. This has encouraged us to study drugs that are not originally antifungals against C. albicans. In the present study, we have tested six antiepileptic drugs for their activities against C. albicans. Their effects on growth, time-dependent killing, yeast-to-hyphal form switching, and biofilms formation by C. albicans were studied. Out of the drugs studied, four drugs, which are γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor agonists in humans, inhibited growth, yeast-to-hyphal form switching, and biofilm formation in C. albicans. Lorazepam inhibited growth of C. albicans at 25 μg/ml, followed by midazolam and diazepam (minimum inhibitory concentrations 100 and 400 μg/ml, respectively). Members from other group voltage-gated sodium channel blockers failed to inhibit C. albicans. Our study has identified GABA receptor agonists used in epileptic therapy as potential candidates for antifungal drug development against the human pathogen C. albicans.
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Lorazepam inhibits growth, hyphae formation, and biofilm growth in C. albicans at 96 μM-12 mM (31.25-4000 μg/mL).
“| Lorazepam | | | | | | (enhancer of the effect of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid on | C. albicans | 96 µM-12 mM (31.25-4000 µg/mL) | Inhibits growth, hyphae formation, and biofilm growth | [76] |”
From Antimicrobial Properties of Antidepressants and Antipsychotics—Possibilities and Implications (2021) · cites this paper as [76]
Midazolam inhibits growth, hyphae formation, and biofilm growth in C. albicans at 95 μM-12 mM (31.25-4000 μg/mL).
“| Midazolam (promotes the action of GABA) | C. albicans, S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, A. baumanii | 95 µM-12 mM (31.25-4000 µg/mL) | Inhibits growth, hyphae formation, and biofilm growth, inhibits bacterial growth | [76-78] |”
From Antimicrobial Properties of Antidepressants and Antipsychotics—Possibilities and Implications (2021) · cites this paper as [76]
Midazolam inhibits bacterial growth in S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumanii at 95 μM-12 mM (31.25-4000 μg/mL).
“| Midazolam (promotes the action of GABA) | C. albicans, S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, A. baumanii | 95 µM-12 mM (31.25-4000 µg/mL) | Inhibits growth, hyphae formation, and biofilm growth, inhibits bacterial growth | [76-78] |”
From Antimicrobial Properties of Antidepressants and Antipsychotics—Possibilities and Implications (2021) · cites this paper as [76]
Diazepam inhibits growth, hyphae formation, and biofilm growth in C. albicans at 108 μM-14 mM (31.25-4000 μg/mL).
“| Diazepam (increases the effect of the neurotransmitter GABA) | C. albicans | 108 µM-14 mM (31.25-4000 µg/mL) | Inhibits growth, hyphae formation, and biofilm growth | [76] |”
From Antimicrobial Properties of Antidepressants and Antipsychotics—Possibilities and Implications (2021) · cites this paper as [76]
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- Authors
- Kathwate, G. H., Shinde, R. B., & Karuppayil, S. M.
- Affiliations
- Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University (IN)
- Venue
- ASSAY and Drug Development Technologies
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2015-07
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 307-312
- ISSN
- 1540-658X (ISSN-L)
- 1557-8127
- OpenAlex
- W1862604504
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 1.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Assay and Drug Development Technologies (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Fungal and yeast genetics research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Fungal Infections and Studies
- Keywords
- Candida albicans, antiepileptic drugs, GABA agonists, lorazepam, midazolam, diazepam, antifungal drug repurposing, yeast-to-hypha transition, biofilm formation, antifungal activity, opportunistic fungal infection
- MeSH terms
- Anticonvulsants, Antifungal Agents, Candida albicans, Candidiasis, Humans, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Biofilms, GABA Agonists, Hyphae, Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers
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