Inactivation of Planktonic Cells and Sessile Biofilm of Candida Auris by Aloe Emodin-mediated Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy

This study explored the in vitro potential of Aloe emodin (AE)-mediated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) against the emerging multidrug-resistant fungus Candida auris . While AE alone showed no significant antifungal activity, its activation with visible light (400–780 nm) at 10 µM resulted in a complete (100%) reduction of viable C. auris colony counts after 15 minutes of exposure. Conversely, the dark control group exhibited only a 30% decrease. Furthermore, AE-aPDT demonstrated a notable capacity to inhibit the initial development of C. auris biofilms. These findings highlight the potential of visible light-activated AE as an effective antimicrobial strategy against this resistant pathogen and its biofilms. The rapid and complete eradication of C. auris under these conditions suggests a promising avenue for developing disinfection protocols and potential therapeutic interventions against this critical global health threat.