Padina Minor Extract Confers Resistance against Candida Albicans Infection: Evaluation in a Zebrafish Model

TL;DR

This study shows that feeding zebrafish with Padina minor extract can help protect them from Candida albicans infections.

Contribution

This is the first study to evaluate Padina minor extract's effect on Candida albicans in zebrafish.

Findings

1% Padina minor extract improved zebrafish resistance to Candida albicans.

1% extract downregulated inflammatory genes like TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10 in infected zebrafish.

No significant survival differences were observed between the groups, but growth was best in the 1% group.

Abstract

This study is the first to evaluate the effect of feeding zebrafish with Padina minor extract on preventing and treating Candida albicans infections. This study showed that 1% P. minor extract effectively improved the resistance of zebrafish against C. albicans infection. The results of this study are expected to be useful for preventing and treating C. albicans infections in fish.

Padina minor is a seaweed rich in polysaccharides often used in food, feed, fertilizers, and antibacterial drugs. This study is the first to evaluate the effect of feeding zebrafish with Padina minor extract on preventing and treating C. albicans infections. This study evaluated the growth, survival, and disease resistance effects of P. minor extract on zebrafish. The fish were divided into four groups: three groups treated with 1%, 5%, or 10% P. minor extract and one untreated group (c, control). Subsequently, we analyzed how the extract affected the immune function of zebrafish infected with C. albicans. Based on the lethal concentration (LC50) calculated in the first stage, 1% was used as the effective therapeutic concentration. The results showed that the growth rate of the 1% feed group was the best, and no significant difference in survival rates between the four groups was observed. Feeding with 1% P. minor extract downregulated the expression of key inflammatory genes like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-10, effectively preventing and treating C. albicans infections in zebrafish. This study is a preliminary evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of P. minor extracts against C. albicans.

Figures