Amphotericin B-copper(II) complex as a potential agent with higher antifungal activity against Candida albicans.
Amphotericin B (AmB) is a polyene antibiotic produced by Streptomyces nodosus used for more than 50 years in the treatment of acute systemic fungal infections. It exhibits a broad spectrum of activity against fungal and protozoan pathogens with relatively rare resistance. The aim of this study was to prepare and evaluate the utility of the AmB-Cu(2+) complex as a potential compound with a high fungicidal activity at lower concentrations, compared with conventional AmB. It was hypothesized that insertion of copper ions into fungal cell membranes, together with the AmB-Cu(2+) complex bypassing the natural homeostatic mechanisms of this element, may contribute to the increased fungicidal activity of AmB. The analysis of results indicates the increased antifungal activity of the AmB-Cu(2+) complex against Candida albicans in comparison with the pure AmB and Fungizone. Additionally, it was stated that the increased antifungal activity of the AmB-Cu(2+) complex is not the sum of the toxic effects of AmB and Cu(2+) ions, but is a result of the unique structure of this compound.
['Chudzik|Barbara|B|', 'Tracz|Izabela B|IB|', 'Czernel|Grzegorz|G|', 'Fiołka|Marta J|MJ|', 'Borsuk|Grzegorz|G|', 'Gagoś|Mariusz|M|']
D000666:Amphotericin B D000935:Antifungal Agents D002176:Candida albicans D003300:Copper D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Antifungal activity Candida albicans Amphotericin B Amphotericin B copper(II) complex