Antifungal Activity of Selenium Nanoparticles Extracted from Capparis decidua Fruit against Candida albicans
Shifa Jawahar Ali, S. Preetha, M. Jeevitha, Lavanya Prathap, S. Rajeshkumar
Abstract
Nanotechnology has introduced nanoparticulate form of selenium for a wide variety of applications. Nanoparticles can be used in medicine due to their increased interaction with microbes and also because it has fewer side effects than the drugs. Selenium nanoparticles have unique biomedical applications ranging from antioxidant activity to anticancer activity. It is distinct with its high biological activity and low toxicity and cytotoxic property. Capparis decidua also called as karira belonging to Capparaceae family is a xerophytic small branched shrub found in Africa, Middle East and South Asia. Its fruit is used for preparing curry and pickles in the western parts of India. In our study, the selenium nanoparticles were extracted from its fruit. Candida albicans is pathogenic yeast in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and the urogenital tract affecting the immunocompromised patients and causes various types of infections. It has gained resistance to present antifungals and new formulations are needed to be discovered.