title: In vitro and ex vivo antimycobacterial potential of azole drugs against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv.
abstract: The antimycobacterial activity of two clinically approved antifungal azole drugs, clotrimazole and econazole, was evaluated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv under in vitro and ex vivo conditions. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC90) was 0.120 microg ml(-1), whereas the minimum bactericidal concentration and effective concentration was 0.125 microg m l(-1) for both the drugs demonstrating their potent antimycobacterial activity. Further, the azole drugs exhibited a synergistic activity with either rifampicin or isoniazid as evaluated on the basis of reduction of colony forming units. The results suggest that azole compounds bear the potential to enhance the efficacy of currently prescribed antitubercular drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160 012, India.
authors.forename: Zahoor
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Sadhna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Khuller
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003022:Clotrimazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004464:Econazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004464:Econazole; D003022:Clotrimazole; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin