Evaluating the Antifungal Activity of Nano-curcumin against Candida Species Isolated from Otomycosis Patients

Background & Objective: Candida species are one of the most common causes of otomycosis. Antifungal drugs commonly used in treatment often have a variety of side effects, including toxicity, cross-reactivity, and drug resistance. In recent years, along with the advances in nanotechnology and the motivation to find new antifungal drugs, there has been a growing interest in the use of nanoparticles such as nano-curcumin in the treatment of fungal infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal sensitivity of nano-curcumin on Candida species isolated from otomycosis. Materials & Methods:  In this experimental study, 100 isolated Candida samples from patients with otomycosis were included. Synthesis of nano-curcumin using chitosan (CS) nanoparticles was performed by ionic gelation method. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using broth microdilution method according to CLSI-M27-S4 guidelines on all Candida isolates to miconazole, clotrimazole and nanocurcumin. Data were analyzed in SPSS 27 software with independent t-test and chi-squared tests. Results: Curcumin nanoparticles showed antifungal activity against all Candida species. However, the mean MIC of miconazole and clotrimazole for different Candida species was significantly lower than curcumin nanoparticles, indicating the lower antifungal effect of nano-curcumin than these two antifungals. Also, the mean MIC of nano-curcumin was not significantly different among Candida species (P < 0.05), whereas it was significantly different for miconazole and clotrimazole (P < 0.05). Conclusion:  The results of the present study showed that nano-curcumin had a lower antifungal effect than miconazole and clotrimazole, but due to nano-curcumin's safety, it can be used as a potential antifungal drug for the treatment of otomycosis after further investigation.