Atividade antifúngica in vitro e in vivo de cristais de tungstato de prata ( Ag2WO4 ) contra Candida albicans.

Abstract

Candida albicans remains the most prevalent cause of invasive candidiasis and is recognized as a critical priority fungal pathogen given its global clinical burden, high mortality rates, and rising antifungal resistance. Here, we investigated the antifungal activity of α-Ag₂WO₄ microcrystals against C. albicans in vitro and in vivo. The crystals exhibited strong activity, with low MIC (3,125 μg mL⁻¹) and fungicidal effect (6,25 μg mL⁻¹). They markedly suppressed the yeast–hypha transition, even at sub-inhibitory concentrations, and inhibited biofilm formation in a concentration-dependent manner. Pre-treatment of abiotic surfaces with α-Ag₂WO₄ effectively prevented fungal adhesion and biofilm maturation, with complete inhibition achieved at 10 mg mL⁻¹. However, no synergistic effect with fluconazole was detected, and in vivo analysis using Galleria mellonella showed limited efficacy, as treatment failed to protect larvae from C. albicans infection despite low toxicity. These findings highlight that while α-Ag₂WO₄ crystals may have restricted potential as systemic antifungal agents, they represent a promising strategy to prevent device-associated infections by targeting adhesion and biofilm development on abiotic surfaces.