Withania somnifera seed oil exhibits antibiofilm properties against drug-resistant Candida auris clinical isolate through modulation in cell permeability.

This article focuses on evaluating the antifungal and antibiofilm activities of Withania somnifera seed oil (WSSO), extracted via supercritical CO₂, against a clinically isolated fluconazole-resistant strain of Candida auris, a rapidly evolving drug-resistant fungus posing a global health threat. The study found that WSSO exhibits fungistatic effects by targeting both the fungal cell membrane and cell wall, disrupting ergosterol binding and causing loss of intracellular contents. Additionally, WSSO effectively inhibited biofilm formation and eradicated mature biofilms of C. auris in a dose- and time-dependent manner, outperforming the standard antifungal Amphotericin B in antibiofilm efficacy. These findings suggest that WSSO could serve as a potential alternative antifungal agent against drug-resistant C. auris, warranting further in vivo and clinical investigations.