Table 1.
Primer sequence.
Table 2.
PCR cycle conditions.
Table 3.
Compound related parameters of iconic components.
Fig 1.
Study on the efficacy of SR extract and CSR extract in treating VVC.
(A) Construction and administration of a mouse model of VVC. (B-C) Cultivation of C. albicans in vaginal a lavage fluid of mice after 7 days of treatment. Results are shown as means ± SD. **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05 compared to the model group. All groups n = 5. (D) HE staining and PAS staining of mouse vaginal tissue. (a) Normal vaginal mucosa; (b) Normal vaginal submucosal tissue; (c) Inflammatory vaginal submucosal tissue; (d) Necrotic shedding of vaginal mucosal cell clusters; (e) Damaged vaginal mucosa; (f) Vaginal submucosal tissue with mild inflammation; (g) Basically normal vaginal mucosa; (h) Normal vaginal submucosal tissue. ★ indicates C. albicans attachment to the vaginal surface. (E-F) Evaluation of pathological damage to vaginal mucosa and submucosal tissue in mice.
Fig 2.
Inhibitory effect of SR extract and CSR extract on biofilm and hyphal formation of C. albicans.
(A) Inhibition of pre-established biofilms formed by C. albicans. Results are shown as means ± SD. ***P < 0.001 compared to the control group. ###P < 0.001 compared with the SR extract group. All groups n = 3. The magnification of the optical microscope is 400X. (B) Confocal laser scanning microscopy images of C. albicans pre-established biofilms treated with SR extract (100 μg/mL) and CSR extract (100 μg/mL) for a duration of 24 hours. Scale bars represent 50 µm. (C) Biofilm alterations were quantified utilizing COMSTAT. Two independent experiments were conducted (six wells per sample). ***P < 0.001 compared to the control group. ###P < 0.001 compared with the SR extract group. (D) Changes in the dimorphism of C. albicans hyphae induced by SR extract (100 μg/mL) and CSR extract (100 μg/mL). Electron microscope image, scale bars represent 10 µm. (a) C. albicans yeast phase; (b) C. albicans hyphal phase; (c) Undeveloped hyphal phase; (d) Wrinkled mycelial phase. (E) The effect of different incubation times of CSR extract (100 μg/mL) on the biofilm and hyphal phase of C. albicans. Results are shown as means ± SD. ***P < 0.001 compared to the control group. All groups n = 3. The magnification of the optical microscope is 400X. (F) The effect of CSR extract (100 μg/mL and 500 μg/mL) on estrogen-induced hyphal phase. The magnification of the optical microscope is 400X. Results are shown as means ± SD. ***P < 0.001 compared to the control group. All groups n = 3. All control groups contained DMSO without extract.
Fig 3.
Study on the expression of mRNA related to biofilm formation of C. albicans by CSR extract (100 μg/mL).
(A) Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis performed on transcriptomic samples. (B) Differences in gene expression levels of C. albicans after incubation with CSR. (C) Differential expression of adhesion-related genes in C. albicans after incubation with CSR extract. Red represents high gene expression, blue represents decreased gene expression. (D) RT-qPCR validation results. Results are shown as means ± SD. ***P < 0.001, **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05 compared to the control group. All groups n = 3. The control group contained DMSO without extract.
Fig 4.
Study on the pharmacological substances of CSR extract in inhibiting biofilm formation and hyphal phase.
(A) Contents of main components in SR extract and CSR extract. Results are shown as means ± SD. ***P < 0.001, **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05 compared to the SR group. All groups n = 3. (B) Chromatograms of respective compounds in positive and negative modes. (C) Inhibition of C. albicans biofilm by monomeric components. The concentrations of Ellagic acid, Pyrogallol and Gallic acid are all 20 μg/mL. (D) Inhibition biofilm of C. albicans. The concentration of Ellagic acid is 4 μg/mL and CSR extract is 100 μg/mL. Results are shown as means ± SD. **P < 0.01 compared to the control group. All groups n = 3. (E) Inhibition hyphal phase of C. albicans. The concentration of Ellagic acid is 4 μg/mL and CSR extract is 100 μg/mL. All control groups contained DMSO without extract.