Aloe emodin disrupts Candida albicans mitochondrial iron homeostasis against its hyphal development and oral candidiasis.

ABSTRACT: Candida albicans, a critical pathogen listed on the WHO fungal priority pathogens list, is a major cause of candidiasis and candidemia, particularly in immunocompromised populations. The lack of novel antifungal drugs and the increasing prevalence of drug resistance underscore the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. By screening compounds derived from Aloe vera using hyphal induction assays, we identified aloe emodin (AE) as a potent inhibitor of C. albicans hyphal development. We demonstrate for the first time that AE, at concentrations of 50-100 μg/mL that do not affect fungal growth, significantly inhibits C. albicans hyphal development and its infections to oral epithelial cells without cytotoxicity. The confocal observation and following transcriptome and metabolome analysis d

SUBMITTER: Shen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12923502 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature