Possible mechanisms of the antifungal activity of fluconazole in combination with terbinafine against Candida albicans. (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khodavandi, Alireza; Alizadeh, Fahimeh; Vanda, Nasim Aghai; Karimi, Golgis; Chong, Pei Pei
• Is Part Of: Pharmaceutical biology. Volume 52:Number 12(2014:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1505
• Page End: 1509
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Materia medica, Vegetable -- Periodicals; 615.321
• DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2014.900808
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-0209

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Context</italic>: Candidiasis is a term describing infections by yeasts from the genus <italic>Candida</italic>, the majority <italic>Candida albicans</italic>. Treatment of such infections often requires antifungals such as the azoles, but increased use of these drugs has led to selection of yeasts with increased resistance to these drugs.</p> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: Combination therapy would be one of the best strategies for the treatment of candidiasis due to increased resistance to azoles.</p> <p> <italic>Materials and methods</italic>: The antifungal activities of fluconazole and terbinafine were evaluated <italic>in vitro</italic> alone and in combination using broth microdilution test and time kill study. Eventually the expression level of selected genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis of <italic>Candida</italic> was evaluated using semi-quantitative RT-PCR.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: The obtained results showed the significant MICs ranging from 0.25 to 8 µg/mL followed by FICs ranged from 0.37 to 1 in combination with fluconazole/terbinafine. Our findings have demonstrated that the combination of fluconazole and terbinafine could also significantly reduce the expression of <italic>ERG1, 3</italic>, and <italic>11</italic> in the cell membrane of <italic>Candida</italic> in all concentrations tested ranging from 1.73- to 6.99-fold.</p> <p> <italic>Discussion and conclusion</italic>: This study was undertaken with the ultimate goal of finding the probable targets of fluconazole/terbinafine in <italic>C. albicans</italic> by looking at its effects on cell membrane synthesis.</p> </abstract>