Phototoxic action of light emitting diode in the in vitro viability of Trichophyton rubrum

background: trichophyton rubrum is the most common agent of superficial mycosis of the skin and nails causing long lasting infections and high recurrence rates. current treatment drawbacks involve topical medications not being able to reach the nail bed at therapeutic concentrations, systemic antifungal drugs failing to eradicate the fungus before the nails are renewed, severe side effects and selection of resistant fungal isolates. photodynamic therapy (pdt) has been a promising alternative to conventional treatments. objectives: this study evaluated the in vitro effectiveness of toluidine blue o (tbo) irradiated by light emitting diode (led) in the reduction of t. rubrum viability. methods: the fungal inoculums' was prepared and exposed to different tbo concentrations and energy densities of light emitting diode for evaluate the t. rubrum sensibility to pdt and production effect fungicidal after photodynamic treatment. in addition, the profiles of the area and volume of the irradiated fungal suspensions were also investigated. results: a small reduction, in vitro, of fungal cells was observed after exposition to 100 μm toluidine blue o irradiated by 18 j/cm2 light emitting diode. fungicidal effect occurred after 25 μm toluidine blue o irradiation by light emitting diode with energy density of 72 j/cm2. the analysis showed that the area and volume irradiated by the light emitting diode were 52.2 mm2 and 413.70 mm3, respectively. conclusion: the results allowed to conclude that photodynamic therapy using light emitting diode under these experimental conditions is a possible alternative approach to inhibit in vitro t. rubrum and may be a promising new treatment for dermatophytosis caused by this fungus.