Vitamin D3 a new drug against Candida albicans.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we demonstrate that vitamin D3 had fungicidal activity against Candida albicans.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The susceptibility of the yeast strain to the vitamin D3 was investigated by the antimicrobial screening using modified agar diffusion method, minimum fungistatic concentrations (MFCs) and minimum fungicide concentrations (MFCC) of the vitamin D3 were determined by the broth dilution method.

RESULTS: The antifungal activity indicted that 100μg/ml of vitamin D3 had a power inhibition in the growth of C. albicans with zone of inhibition 12.5mm and CMFC and CMFs were 1.58±0.0764μg/ml.

CONCLUSION: These values indicate that vitamin D3 can be considered to have fungicide activity. This antifungal effect may be due to the large lipsolubility of vitamin D3 changing the integrity of the cell membrane.