A Novel Preparation culture medium for identification of Cryptococcus neoformans, from leaves of caper (Capparis spinosa).

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans a yeast pathogen, is attributed as the causative agent of cryptococcosis, a significant infectious disease in humans. Recently, microbiologists have tried to make new media to detect the C. neoformans from simple natural materials. In this study, a novel medium was prepared from caper leaves extract as an identification and differential medium for Cryptococcus neoformans. The isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans (as negative control) were cultured on caper leaves agar and incubated at 37ºC for 48 hours. we revealed after 48 hours of incubation the fifty-isolates of C.neoformans were the caper leaves agar and colonies pigmented by dark brown, while C. albicans grew without pigment production. The results of analysis for fresh caper leaves by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed that the caper leaves content of Myrecelin, Ferrulic acid, Caffeic acid, Quinic acid, Ascorbic acid. Apigenin and Kaempferol are all those phenol compounds considered substrates to produce melanin as differential pigment. The present phenolic compound assured caper leaves agar useful as an innovative substrate for swift identification of C. neoformans in environmental and clinical samples.