Deer antler extract selectively suppresses hyphal growth in dimorphic fungus, Candida albicans

Abstract

Transfer of Candida albicans grown in Sabouraud medium to the RPMI medium induces the transition from a nonpathogenic yeast form to a pathogenic hyphal form. This transition was severely inhibited in a dose-dependent manner when deer antler extract was added to the RPMI medium in a nontoxic range (up to 500 μg). In that range, deer antler extract inhibited the hyphal transition and cell growth, whereas no effect was observed on the yeast growth. When hydrophobic or hydrophilic fractions were prepared by detergent-solubilization of deer antler extract, the hydrophobic fraction showed a large degree of inhibition of the hyphal growth in Candida albicans. Neither fraction affected the growth in the yeast form. The pattern of chitin localization in the culture of the yeast form grown in RPMI in the presence of deer antler extract was confirmed by calcofluor staining and this exhibited strongly the suppression of hyphal transition.