INFLUENCE OF THYMOL AND CARVACROL ОN INITIAL CELL ATTACHMENT AND BIOFILM OF Candida albicans

: Microorganisms within a biofilm have a distinct phenotype from planktonic cells and generally show higher tolerance to antimicrobial agents. Due to these properties of biofilm-associated cells there is a great interest for finding substances, which inhibit specific processes in the initial phase of biofilm formation and therefore prevent the formation of mature biofilms. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of thymol and carvacrol on the planktonic population, initial adhesion and preformed Candida albicans biofilms, in vitro . Results for antifungal activity of essential oil components (EOC’s) against planctonic population of C. albicans were identical for both tested EOC’s (MIC/MFC=0.156/0.3125 μL/mL). In order to understand the anti-biofilm action of EOC’s, their effect was tested on both the initial cell attachment by planktonic cells as well as on preformed biofilms. Obtained results indicated that the effect of EOC’s on initial cell attachment was dose dependent manner, although even at 1×MIC biomass attachment was reduced by 61.3% for thymol and 58.9% for carvacrol. Using 2×MIC, biomass attachment was reduced for 81.7% for thymol and 80.9% for carvacrol. When the same EOC’s were tested against a preformed biofilm, their inhibitory effect was reduced greatly.