Anti-inflammatory potential of myristic acid and palmitic acid synergism against systemic candidiasis in Danio rerio (Zebrafish)

[Display omitted] •Myristic acid (MA) and palmitic acid (PA) synergistically inhibited the virulence of dimorphic Candida species.•In vivo analysis in Zebrafish model showed that MA and PA were non- toxic for animal survival.•MA-PA combinations reduced the inflammatory effects of dimorphic Candida spp. in Zebrafish.•Also, MA-PA combinations reduced the survival of dimorphic Candida spp. in human blood model.•MA-PA could be effective against systemic candidiasis. Nosocomial Candida colonization causes Systemic candidiasis in human with invasive infections in immunocompromised patients. Of all Candida spp., C. albicans is dominant in morbidity of all systemic candidiasis but C. tropicalis is phenomenal in mortality, virulence aspects and resistance development against antifungal drugs. The present study investigated the synergistic anti-virulent activity of myristic acid (MA) and palmitic acid (PA) against insidious dimorphic Candida spp. (C. albicans and C. tropicalis). In vitro and qPCR results revealed the mechanisms of MA-PA combination effectively inhibiting various virulence aspects such as biofilm, hyphal formation, secreted aspartyl proteases, lipases, ergosterol biosynthesis and drug effluxes. Further, in Danio rerio (Zebrafish), the MA-PA treatment increased the survival of animals and also the treated groups showed decreased level of fungal burden compared to the infected controls, after 3rd day of post infection. Histopathology of vital organs and SEM analysis of skin revealed a drastic recovery and reduced the inflammation of both Candida spp. infections in MA-PA treated animals. In addition, MA-PA treatment reduced the haemolysin and increased the susceptibility of Candida spp. in human blood model. Hence, this study suggested the therapeutic utilization of MA-PA as synergistic combination for their anti-inflammatory potency against systemic candidiasis and candidemia.