Antifungal Activity of Purified Lectin from Red Kidney Beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris) Against Vaginal Candidiasis Caused by Candida Albicans

Abstract

The red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) considered from the cereals with high content of lectin. A Phaseolus vulgaris lectin capacity to hemagglutinate erythrocytes from humans and other animals lacks specificity. However, the highest levels of hemagglutinating activity were against sheep and rabbit erythrocytes. It purified by acetone aqueous extraction, 50% precipitation, with ammonium sulfate, ion exchange chromatography with DEAE-Cellulose followed by SephadexG-100 size exclusion chromatography with specific activity of 213.33U/mg and 64% a yield. Six Candida albicans isolates were isolated from vaginal candidiasis. The minimum inhibitory (MIC)concentrations of purified lectin ranged between 50-100 μg/ ml against all tested Candida albicans isolates, whilst the fungicidal (MFC) concentrations of lectin against Candida albicans isolates revealed between100-200 μg/ ml. thus the lectin has promising application as fungistatic and fungicidal agent against vaginal candidiasis caused by Candida.