ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Overcoming antifungal drug resistance: potent antioxidant, antifungal, genotoxic, and antibiofilm properties of Lavandula angustifolia and Thymus vulgaris against candida species

Faisal Al-Sarraj, Ehab Mattar, Tahani M. Alqahtani, Enas A. Almanzalawi, Majid Al-Zahrani, Nada Mahmoud Nass, Albandary Nasser Alsaloom, Mashail A. Alghamdi, Ameena A. AL-surhanee, Ahmed M. Abdulfattah, Ibrahim Alotibi, Ayman Jafer, Rania Z. Ahmed, Reem M. Farsi, Alya Redhwan, Bayan H. Sajer, Mustafa M. Senna, Raafat T. M. Makhlof, Sawsan Abd Ellatif, Elsayed S. Abdel Razik, and Amira A. Ibrahim

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

E-mail: falsaraj@kau.edu.sa

Received: 8 November 2024  Accepted: 13 August 2025

Abstract:

Fatal human diseases arise from a diverse of microbial infections. Among these, Candida species pose significant challenges in healthcare settings due to their ability to transition morphologically from yeast to hyphal forms, form resistant biofilms, and cause co-infections with other bacterial pathogens. The increasing prevalence of drug resistance to commonly used antimicrobial agents, alongside adverse side effects associated with these treatments, has heightened the demand for safe and effective novel therapeutic options. Plant-derived compounds are recognized for their potential therapeutic properties and may offer promising alternatives. This study investigated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant properties, and cytogenetic effects of hydroalcoholic extracts from Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) and Thymus vulgaris (thyme). Treatment with hydroalcoholic extracts of L. angustifolia and T. vulgaris (100 µg/ml) significantly reduced the expression of key virulence genes (SAP4, BCR1, EFG1, ALS3) and inhibited biofilm formation in C. albicans and C. tropicalis. These effects are attributed to the antifungal and antibiofilm activities of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids, and other functionalized phytocompounds, which effectively reduce biofilm formation and induce cellular damage in Candida species.

Graphical abstract

Keywords: Lavandula angustifolia and Thymus vulgaris; Candida albicans ATCC 2091 and Candida tropicalis ATCC 1369; Gene expression; Virulence genes; RT‒PCR; Cell damage; Genotoxicity

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04387-9

Chemical Papers 80 (1) 245–261 (2026)