The Light-activated Effect of Natural Anthraquinone Parietin against Candida auris and Other Fungal Priority Pathogens.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is an evolving treatment strategy against human pathogenic microbes such as the species, including the emerging pathogen . Using a modified EUCAST protocol, the light-enhanced antifungal activity of the natural compound parietin was explored. The photoactivity was evaluated against three separate strains of five yeasts, and its molecular mode of action was analysed via several techniques, i.e., cellular uptake, reactive electrophilic species (RES), and singlet oxygen yield. Under experimental conditions ( = 428 nm, H = 30 J/cm, PI = 30 min), microbial growth was inhibited by more than 90% at parietin concentrations as low as c = 0.156 mg/L (0.55 µM) for and , c = 0.313 mg/L (1.10 µM) for , c = 0.625 mg/L (2.20 µM) for , and c = 1.250 mg/L (4.40 µM) for . Mode-of-action analysis demonstrated fungicidal activity. Parietin targets the cell membrane and induces cell death via ROS-mediated lipid peroxidation after light irradiation. In summary, parietin exhibits light-enhanced fungicidal activity against all species tested (including ) and , covering three of the four critical threats on the WHO's most recent fungal priority list.