Investigation of the Antifungal Activity of Curcumin-Coated Gold Nanoparticles Publisher



Mahmoudi S ; Amini SM ; Khodavaisy S ; Mansoori K
Source: Nanomedicine Research Journal Published:2025

Abstract

Objective(s): The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the global threat posed by opportunistic pathogens, including drug-resistant fungi. Metal nanoparticles are considered general microbicidal agents. These nanoparticles have a broad antimicrobial spectrum. Methods: The preparation of nanoparticles with curcumin coating was performed through a single-step procedure in which curcumin acted as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The characterizations of the particles were conducted through electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity of particles was evaluated with an MTT assay. The antifungal properties of curcumin-coated gold nanoparticles were evaluated up to a concentration of 128 μg/ml against different species of Candida and Aspergillus, and compared with common antifungal drugs such as fluconazole and itraconazole. TEM was applied to investigate the structural analysis of the particles' interaction. Results: The particle synthesis was performed using a single-batch green method. Characterized by TEM, UV-Vis, and DLS, the particles exhibited an average diameter of 7.5 ± 4.1 nm and remained stable for over 64 days. Cytotoxicity tests on HepG2 cells showed high biocompatibility. While Cur@AuNPs exhibited antifungal activity against various species of Candida, including drug-resistant strains, no significant activity was observed against Aspergillus species. These findings suggest potential applications of Cur@AuNPs in treating Candida-related infections. Conclusions: Cur@AuNPs demonstrate inhibitory properties on different species of Candida but do not exhibit antifungal activity against either drug-sensitive or drug-resistant Aspergillus species. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.