Aims: This study investigated the anti-fungal activity of coptisine on Candida albicans growth. Methods and Results: The metabolic power-time curves of Candida albicans growth at 37 degrees C affected by coptisine were measured by microcalorimetry using an LKB-2277 Bioactivity Monitor with stop-flow mode. Then, the diameter of inhibitory zones in the agar layer was observed using agar cup method, and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of coptisine on Candida albicans growth was determined by serial dilution method. From the principal component analysis on nine quantitative parameters obtained from the power-time curves, we could easily evaluate the anti-fungal activity of coptisine by analysing the change of values of the main two parameters, growth rate constant k and maximum power output in the log phase P-m,P- log. The results showed that coptisine had strong anti-fungal activity: at a low concentration (45 mu g ml

Keywords:anti-fungal activity;Candida albicans;coptisine;microcalorimetry;principal component analysis