Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42700304›Full record

SynthesisLasers in medical science2026

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy mediated by phenothiazine photosensitizers against Candida albicans and Candida auris: a systematic review.

Giovanna Fontgalland-Ferreira, Sarah Marinho Figueiredo, Karla Nogueira Matos, Vinicius Leão Roncolato, Claudio Teruo Kassa, Maria Vitória Pigozzi-Portugal, Ilka Tiemy Kato, Renato Araujo Prates

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Lasers in medical science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Giovanna Fontgalland-FerreiraBiophotonics-medicine Posgradate Program, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), São Paulo, Brazil. giovannafontgallandf@gmail.com.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3721-3304
Sarah Marinho FigueiredoCenter of Engineering, Modeling and Applied Social Sciences, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo, Brazil.
Karla Nogueira MatosUniversidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4001-5488
Vinicius Leão RoncolatoBiophotonics-medicine Posgradate Program, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), São Paulo, Brazil.
Claudio Teruo KassaBiophotonics-medicine Posgradate Program, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6871-8965
Maria Vitória Pigozzi-PortugalBiophotonics-medicine Posgradate Program, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), São Paulo, Brazil.
Ilka Tiemy KatoCenter of Engineering, Modeling and Applied Social Sciences, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4365-965X
Renato Araujo PratesBiophotonics-medicine Posgradate Program, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), São Paulo, Brazil. pratesra@uni9.pro.br.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8115-9237

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Fungal infections caused by Candida albicans and Candida auris represent an increasing clinical challenge, particularly due to biofilm formation and rising antifungal resistance. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has emerged as a potential alternative strategy, with phenothiazine-based photosensitizers being among the most extensively investigated compounds. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the application of phenothiazine-mediated aPDT in in vitro studies against C. albicans and C. auris. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, including studies published within the last 10 years. Forty in vitro studies met the eligibility criteria and were synthesized descriptively due to substantial methodological heterogeneity. Overall, aPDT was associated with reductions in fungal viability, with generally greater effects reported in planktonic models compared with biofilms. Methylene blue was the most frequently investigated photosensitizer, applied across a broad range of concentrations and dosimetric parameters, resulting in variable antifungal responses. Other phenothiazine derivatives, including toluidine blue O, dimethyl methylene blue, new methylene blue, and S137, were also associated with antifungal activity under specific experimental conditions but remain comparatively underexplored. Studies involving C. auris were less frequent and suggested lower susceptibility compared with C. albicans, particularly in biofilm models. Given the substantial variability in experimental protocols, especially regarding photosensitizer concentration, light parameters, and biofilm maturation, the findings should be interpreted with caution and limit direct comparison across studies. These findings support the antifungal potential of phenothiazine-mediated aPDT while emphasizing the need for methodological standardization and expanded investigation of C. auris.

Indexed as

Antifungal AgentsCandida albicansCandida aurisCandidiasisPhenothiazinesPhotochemotherapyPhotosensitizing AgentsBiofilmsHumansMethylene BlueAntifungal AgentsMethylene BluephenothiazinePhenothiazinesPhotosensitizing AgentsAntimicrobial photodynamic therapyCandida albicansCandida aurisPhenothiazines

Identifiers

PMID42700304
PMCPMC13546162

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.