BrazilianCopaiferaSpecies: Antifungal Activity against Clinically RelevantCandidaSpecies, Cellular Target, and In Vivo Toxicity

Plants belonging to the genusCopaiferaare widely used in Brazil due to their antimicrobial properties, among others. The re-emergence of classic fungal diseases as a consequence of antifungal resistance to available drugs has stimulated the search for plant-based compounds with antifungal activity, especially againstCandida. TheCandida-infectedCaenorhabditis elegansmodel was used to evaluate the in vitro antifungal potential ofCopaiferaleaf extracts and trunk oleoresins againstCandidaspecies. TheCopaiferaleaf extracts exhibited good antifungal activity against allCandidaspecies, with MIC values ranging from 5.86 to 93.75 mu g/mL. Both theCopaifera pauperaandCopaifera reticulataleaf extracts at 46.87 mu g/mL inhibitedCandida glabratabiofilm formation and showed no toxicity toC. elegans.The survival ofC. glabrata-infected nematodes increased at all the tested extract concentrations. Exposure toCopaiferaleaf extracts markedly increasedC. glabratacell vacuolization and cell membrane damage. Therefore,Copaiferaleaf extracts are potential candidates for the development of new and safe antifungal agents.