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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Antimicrobials, Resistance and Chemotherapy
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1456240

In Vitro and In Vivo Synergistic Inhibition of Malassezia furfur Targeting Cell Membranes by Rose and Coptidis Rhizoma Extracts

Provisionally accepted
Li Li Li Li 1Yuanyuan He Yuanyuan He 1*Qinghui Zou Qinghui Zou 1*Weiwei Chen Weiwei Chen 1*Yanxia Liu Yanxia Liu 1*Huifen He Huifen He 2*JUN ZHANG JUN ZHANG 1*
  • 1 School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
  • 2 The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Malassezia furfur (M. furfur) is a significant pathogen responsible for various dermatological conditions, adversely affecting the quality of life. This study aims to evaluate the phytochemical composition by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the synergistic antifungal effects of a combined extract of Rosa rugosa Thunb. (MG) and Coptidis Rhizoma (HL) against M. furfur in vitro and in vivo. The major compounds identified include gallic acid, rutin, isoquercitrin, palmatine, epiberberine, berberine hydrochloride, and coptisine. The checkerboard and time-kill assays revealed that Meilian extract (ML, containing crude drug concentration of 3.125 mg/mL MG and 6.25 mg/mL HL) exhibited synergistic antifungal activity against M. furfur. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed damage to the fungal surface, mitochondrial swelling, and cell membrane disruption after treatment. Propidium iodide staining, protein concentration assays, and ergosterol quantification experiments indicated that the ML compromised the integrity of M. furfur's cell membrane, leading to leakage of cellular contents. Transcriptomic analysis identified 131, 275, and 293 differentially expressed genes in M. furfur exposed to MG, HL, and ML, respectively, with significant enrichment in membrane function related pathways, amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and energy metabolism, causing membrane dysfunction. Moreover, in a seborrheic dermatitis mouse model induced by M. furfur, the ML demonstrated synergistic antifungal effects and alleviated skin inflammation. These findings suggest that the synergistic antifungal effect of the combined MG and HL might be associated with cell membrane disruption, metabolic disturbance. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the antifungal mechanisms of the ML.

    Keywords: Rose1, Coptis Rhizoma2, Meilian3, Malassezia furfur4, Synergistic antifungal5

    Received: 28 Jun 2024; Accepted: 06 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Li, He, Zou, Chen, Liu, He and ZHANG. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yuanyuan He, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 51006, Guangdong Province, China
    Qinghui Zou, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 51006, Guangdong Province, China
    Weiwei Chen, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 51006, Guangdong Province, China
    Yanxia Liu, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 51006, Guangdong Province, China
    Huifen He, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
    JUN ZHANG, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 51006, Guangdong Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.