Molecules of Natural Origin as Inhibitors of Signal Transduction Pathway in Candida albicans

Fungal infections are serious threats having harmful effects on the health of immunocompromised patients that eventually leads to a financial burden on the healthcare system. The mortality rates due to fungal infections suggest that available antifungal therapy is not effective due to the toxicity of drugs and increasing resistance to available drugs. Due to the increase in infection rates and drug-resistant fungi, invasive fungal infections are quite a severe problem. Most of the drugs may cause severe side effects like nephrotoxicity, visual disturbances and congestive heart failure. Hence, there is a necessity for the development of antifungal agents that are nontoxic and give desired results. Various virulence factors like adhesion, biofilm formation and morphological transition complicate the situation through their differential sensitivity to antifungal antibiotics. The signal transduction pathway in Candida albicans involved in developing virulence is one of best target for antifungal drugs. Natural products targeting virulence factors is an intensive area of research. They can be good candidates for developing new antifungal therapeutics. Molecules inhibiting signal transduction pathways need to be studied for in vivo efficiency and toxicity. In this chapter, natural molecules and their targets in signal transduction pathways of C. albicans have been reviewed.