Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jia Zhou, Jinyang Li, Iohong Cheong, Ning-Ning Liu, Hui Wang
Summary: This study identified artemether and its derivatives as having antifungal activity, with artemether showing the strongest effect in combination with fluconazole against resistant strains. The combination of artemether and fluconazole also demonstrated broad-spectrum antifungal activity against various fungal species. Mechanistic investigations suggest that artemether may enhance fluconazole efficacy by disrupting specific cellular functions.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Liu-liu Sun, Hao Li, Tian-hua Yan, Ting Fang, Hao Wu, Yong-bing Cao, Hui Lu, Yuan-ying Jiang, Feng Yang
Summary: Under subinhibitory concentrations of fluconazole, Candida albicans develops aneuploidy, which causes drug tolerance rather than drug resistance.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Henry Kolge, Gokul Patil, Sachin Jadhav, Vandana Ghormade
Summary: This study synthesized nano carriers composed of natural and synthetic polymers for the delivery of fluconazole. The nanoformulation exhibited pH-tuned sustained drug release and showed highly effective antifungal activity against Candida and resistant Candida strains, with minimal toxicity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yuting Wang, Haiying Yan, Jinfeng Li, Yuan Zhang, Zhen Wang, Shujuan Sun
Summary: The number of invasive fungal infections has increased significantly, leading to high morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Caspofungin (CAS) resistance is a growing concern, limiting the treatment options for severe invasive Candida albicans infections. This study investigated the activity of CAS in combination with ribavirin (RBV) against C. albicans, and found that the combination had synergistic effects in inhibiting biofilm formation and reducing tissue damage. The findings provide insights into drug resistance and suggest potential applications for RBV in the treatment of C. albicans infections.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Aimei Sun, Nannan Chai, Xianhu Zhu, Yanping Li, Ruirui Wang, Yi Zhang, Zewei Mao
Summary: A series of quinoline derivatives linked to chalcone moiety were prepared and their antifungal activities against C. albicans were evaluated. Quinoline combined with fluconazole (FLC) showed good inhibitory activity and compound PK10 displayed the best antifungal activity against FLC-resistant strains. Mechanistic studies revealed that PK-10 combined with FLC inhibited hyphae formation, induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial dysfunction, and decreased ATP content. In vivo studies confirmed the effectiveness of the combination treatment based on histological analysis, body weight curves, and organ coefficients.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Angela Maione, Marianna Imparato, Annalisa Buonanno, Federica Carraturo, Antonetta Schettino, Maria Teresa Schettino, Marilena Galdiero, Elisabetta de Alteriis, Marco Guida, Emilia Galdiero
Summary: Candida albicans is a common microorganism in the human microbiota that can cause vulvovaginal infections. The development of drug resistance in C. albicans isolates is a complication that requires new therapeutic strategies. The study found that phenyllactic acid (PLA) has strong antifungal and antivirulence activities against C. albicans, including reducing biofilm formation and affecting gene expression. PLA shows promise as a novel and safe antifungal agent for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wouter Van Genechten, Rudy Vergauwen, Patrick Van Dijck
Summary: Invasive fungal infections, particularly caused by Candida species, are on the rise and pose a significant challenge in healthcare settings. The current antifungal drugs, especially azoles, have limitations including fungistatic activity and the rapid development of resistance. Combination therapies involving azoles and agents that limit iron availability show promising prospects. This review summarizes the mechanisms of iron acquisition, transport, and storage in host cells, and discusses how these pathways may affect azole susceptibility and tolerance. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of understanding mitochondrial iron dynamics in relation to azole treatment and iron limitation, which remains a significant gap in knowledge.
Article
Microbiology
Jessica Regan, Christian DeJarnette, Arturo Luna-Tapia, Josie E. Parker, Parker Reitler, Stacey Barnett, Katie M. Tucker, Steven L. Kelly, Glen E. Palmer
Summary: By modulating Erg3p activity, the antifungal efficacy and pathogenicity of Azole medications against C. albicans can be influenced, with host immunity playing a critical role in determining the clinical impact of this resistance mechanism.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Zhen Li, Bin Zhu, Weiqin Chen, Jun Hu, Yingjun Xue, Hongmei Yin, Xiaobo Hu, Weiwei Liu
Summary: This study explored the antifungal efficacy of Pseudolaric acid A (PAA) and its synergistic effect with fluconazole (FLC) against non-albicans Candida (NAC) species, and found that the combination of PAA and FLC is more effective in treating FLC-resistant Candida tropicalis infections. In addition, PAA had detrimental effects on the cell membranes and intracellular ultrastructure of Candida tropicalis, while the inhibitory effect of PAA could be relieved by the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Xueqi Chen, Jiyong Wu, Lei Sun, Jing Nie, Shan Su, Shujuan Sun
Summary: The study revealed that BEH alone or in combination with FLC exhibited potent antifungal activity against C. albicans, possibly through increasing intracellular calcium concentration, activating metacaspase activity to reduce virulence, and anti-biofilms, but not related to drug efflux.
DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Petr Jaros, Maria Vrublevskaya, Kristyna Lokocova, Jana Michailidu, Irena Kolouchova, Katerina Demnerova
Summary: The use of antibiotics and antifungals to control infections caused by pathogenic microorganisms is currently ineffective due to emerging resistance. Boswellia serrata extract containing boswellic acids has shown promising antifungal activity against Candida species.
Article
Microbiology
Jack D. Sobel, Robert Akins
Summary: Antifungal drug susceptibility tests (AST) are increasingly needed for women with refractory or recurrent Candida vaginitis due to fluconazole resistance. It is proposed that the AST be performed at pH 4.5 instead of the recommended pH 7.0, as testing at only pH 7.0 is likely to miss a significant number of clinically relevant azole-resistant C. albicans vaginal isolates.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Tristan Rossignol, Sadri Znaidi, Murielle Chauvel, Rebecca Wesgate, Laurence Decourty, Florence Menard-Szczebara, Sylvie Cupferman, Maria Dalko-Sciba, Rosemary Barnes, Jean-Yves Maillard, Cosmin Saveanu, Christophe d'Enfert
Summary: HEPB demonstrates strong antifungal activity against Candida species, inhibiting their growth by promoting amino acid biosynthesis and chemical detoxification/oxidative stress response pathways. The mode of action of HEPB is distinguishable from other commonly used preservatives such as triclosan and methylparaben.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Liu-Yan Su, Guang-Hui Ni, Yi-Chuan Liao, Liu-Qing Su, Jun Li, Jia-Sheng Li, Gao-Xiong Rao, Rui-Rui Wang
Summary: The study demonstrated that the combination of TA and FLC exhibited strong synergistic antifungal activity against drug-resistant C. albicans, inhibiting gene expression and reducing infectivity and resistance.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gabriela Vieira Silva Zolin, Fauller Henrique da Fonseca, Carolina Reis Zambom, Saulo Santesso Garrido
Summary: Buccal candidiasis, caused by Candida albicans, can lead to systemic infection with resistance to common antifungal drugs. Histatin 5, a natural antimicrobial peptide found in human saliva, shows high antifungal activity against C. albicans. Research aims to explore the promising use of Hst5 metallopeptides in developing effective drugs to overcome antifungal resistance.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Weizhuo Lu, Zhiwu Chen, Jiyue Wen
Summary: Ischemic stroke is a common and serious disease, and neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in its progression. Microglia, astrocytes, and infiltrating immune cells are involved in the complicated neuroinflammation cascade, releasing different molecules that affect inflammation. Flavonoids, plant-specific compounds, have shown protective effects against cerebral ischemia injury by modulating the inflammatory responses.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2024)