Effect of Chitosan and Sodium Alginate on the adherence of autochthonous C. Albicans to oral epithelial cells (in vitro).

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Heavy Molecular Weight Chitosan (HMWCh) and Sodium Alginate (NaAl) on fungal adherence. C albicans was identified and isolated from non-stimulated saliva extracted from male and female healthy adults. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for each of the biopolymers. MIC values were 0.25 % (W/V) for HMWCh and 0.10 % (W/V) for NaAl. Fungal cell hydrophobicity was evaluated against xylene in the presence of HMWCh. Statistically significant differences between the control (without HMWCh) and the different HMWCh concentrations in fungal suspension were observed (P< 0.05). The fact that HMWCh and NaAl impaired fungal adherence to buccal epithelial cells (BEC) as compared to control revealed that polymers inhibit Candida albicans adherence to BEC (HMWCh and NaAl: P= 0.00001), NaAl being more effective than HMWCh (P = 0.00001). HMWCh dettached and aggregated C. albicans, including the fungi and BEC in the mesh. NaAl inhibited adherence, aggregated and entrapped the fungi in the mesh, excluding BEC. We may conclude that both biopolymers are effective. However, NaAl is a stronger inhibitor of adherence. Thus, in combination or alone, these biopolymers could be used in the treatment of oral candidosis.