Comparing the antifungal effects of gold and silver nanoparticles isolated from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis in-vitro

In recent years the emergence of resistance to opportunistic fungi (e.g. Candida albicans) has dramatically increased worldwide. The toxicity of antibacterial drugs and the occurrence of resistance to fungi and the resultant drug interactions make it necessary to assess new drugs. The aim of this study was to compare the antifungal effects of gold and silver nanoparticles on patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis.
In order to identify the samples, the conventional mycological methods (morphology on corn meal/chrome agar and germ tube production) were utilized. To evaluate the antifungal effects of spherical silver and gold nanoparticles the diameter of inhibitory zone was measured using disk diffusion method. In addition, the minimum fungicidal concentration (MIC) and Minimum inhibitory concentration (MFC) of samples were determined by microdilution method.
Among the total identified isolates of Candida albicans (C. albicans), 58 samples were inhibited using spherical silver and gold nanoparticles with 10 nm diameter. The inhibitory zone diameter was between 0-19 mm. The MIC and MFC for silver and gold nanoparticles were 21.31±11.40; 32.15±25.77 ppm and 16.68±9.37; 7.93±4.72 ppm, respectively.
The results of the present investigation showed that spherical gold and silver nanoparticles with 10 nm diameter have some antifungal effects against the Candida albicans. Probably in future the silver and gold nanoparticles have the potential of treating the vulvovaginal candidiasis.