title: Allicin enhances the oxidative damage effect of amphotericin B against Candida albicans.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, PR China. maoan168@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: MaoMao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: YongBing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: JunDong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: YuanYing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004220:Disulfides; D013441:Sulfinic Acids; C006452:allicin; D000666:Amphotericin B