Allicin enhances the oxidative damage effect of amphotericin B against Candida albicans.
Amphotericin B (AmB) is the gold standard of antifungal treatment for the most severe invasive mycoses. In addition to the interaction of AmB with ergosterol in the fungi cell membrane, several studies have demonstrated oxidative damage involved in the fungicidal activity of AmB. In this study, allicin, an allyl sulphur compound from garlic, was shown to enhance significantly the effect of AmB against Candida albicans in vitro and in vivo, although allicin did not exert a fungicidal effect. Further study first demonstrated that allicin-mediated oxidative damage, such as phospholipid peroxidation in the plasma membrane, via influencing the defence of C. albicans against oxidative damage may be the cause of the synergistic interaction between allicin and AmB. We envision that a combination of AmB with allicin may prove to be a promising strategy for the therapy of disseminated candidiasis.
An
MaoMao
M
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, PR China. maoan168@yahoo.com.cn
Shen
Hui
H
Cao
YongBing
Y
Zhang
JunDong
J
Cai
Yun
Y
Wang
Rui
R
Jiang
YuanYing
Y
D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004220:Disulfides; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D050296:Microbial Viability; D013441:Sulfinic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004220:Disulfides; D013441:Sulfinic Acids; C006452:allicin; D000666:Amphotericin B