Use of terbinafine in mouse and rat models of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
Terbinafine, an allylamine used to treat onychomycosis, has been reported to be active against rat Pneumocystis carinii in vitro and in vivo. By contrast, our in vitro data showed that the 50% inhibitory concentration of terbinafine against rat P. carinii is 3.7 microg/ml, a level that cannot be clinically achieved in serum. In the present study, terbinafine administered orally at doses of 20 to 400 mg/kg/day and 50 to 250 mg/kg/day was ineffective therapy for mouse and rat models of pneumocystosis, respectively. These results emphasize the complexities of P. carinii drug testing and the need for caution before considering studies in humans.
Walzer
Peter D
PD
Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220, USA. peter.walzer@med.va.gov
Ashbaugh
Alan
A
D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D000077291:Terbinafine; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009281:Naphthalenes; D000077291:Terbinafine