Potential Activity of Arthrospira platensis as Antioxidant, Cytotoxic and Antifungal against Some Skin Diseases: Topical Cream Application

Abstract

This research evaluated the antifungal effectiveness of <i>Arthrospira platensis</i> ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate and acetone extracts against the tested pathogenic fungi (<i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Trichophyton rubrum</i> and <i>Malassezia furfur</i>). Antioxidant and cytotoxicity effectiveness of <i>A. platensis</i> extracts against four distinct cell lines were also assessed. Methanol extract of <i>A. platensis</i> exhibited the highest inhibition zones against <i>Candida albicans</i> as measured by the well diffusion method. A transmission electron micrograph of the treated group of <i>Candida</i> cells with <i>A. platensis</i> methanolic extract showed mild lysis and vacuolation of the cytoplasmic organelles. In vivo, after induced infection of mice by <i>C. albicans</i> and treatment with <i>A. platensis</i> methanolic extract cream, the skin layer emerged with the removal of <i>Candida</i> spherical plastopores. The extract of <i>A. platensis</i> recorded the highest antioxidant activity using the DPPH (2, 2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging method (IC₅₀ 28 mg/mL). A cytotoxicity test using a MTT assay showed that the <i>A. platensis</i> extract had strong cytotoxic activity against the HepG2 cell line (IC₅₀ 20.56 ± 1.7 μg/mL) and moderate cytotoxic activity against MCF7 and the Hela cell (IC₅₀ 27.99 ± 2.1 μg/mL). Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS) results revealed that the effective activity of <i>A. platensis</i> extract could be linked to a synergistic impact between their prominent composition as alkaloids, phytol, fatty acids hydrocarbons, phenolics and phthalates. <i>A. platensis</i> extract contains active metabolites that constitute a promising source of antifungal, antioxidant and anti-proliferative compounds for the pharmaceutical drug industry.