In vitro antiproliferative effects of neuroleptics, antimycotics and antibiotics on the human pathogens Acanthamoeba polyphaga and Naegleria fowleri.
BACKGROUND
Using reproducible conditions in vitro, the aim of this study was to obtain a comparative evaluation of the efficacies of several tricyclic neuroleptics, antimycotics and antibiotics with antiproliferative activities against Acanthamoeba polyphaga and Naegleria fowleri trophozoites.


METHODS
We used reproducible conditions in vitro to obtain results.


RESULTS
In the case of A.polyphaga, the tricyclic neuroleptics trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine had the best inhibitory (IC50) effects followed by mepacrine, ketoconazole, pentamidine, miconazole, amphotericin B, and metronidazole. Of all, rifampicin was the least effective. Mepacrine was the most effective compound with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC100) against A.polyphaga [corrected] The most effective drugs against N. fowleri expressed as (IC50) were as follows: the antimycotics ketoconazole and amphotericin B, followed by trifluoperazine, mepacrine, chlorpromazine, miconazole, and metronidazole. The least effectives were rifampicin and pentamidine. The most potent growth inhibitors (MIC100) against N. fowleri were the antimycotics amphotericin B and ketoconazole and the neuroleptic trifluoperazine. It was clear that there are major differences between the two amebas in their susceptibility to some of the drugs.


CONCLUSIONS
The drugs with the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values could be considered alone or in combination as potential anti-amebic agents for the treatment of the diseases produced by these amebas.
Ondarza
Raúl N
RN
Center for Research on Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. ondarza@servidor.unam.mx
Iturbe
Angelica
A
Hernández
Eva
E
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D016848:Naegleria fowleri / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents