title: Does use of the polyene natamycin as a food preservative jeopardise the clinical efficacy of amphotericin B? A word of concern.
abstract: Natamycin is a poorly soluble, polyene macrolide antifungal agent used in the food industry for the surface treatment of cheese and sausages. This use is not of safety concern. However, highly soluble natamycin-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes have been developed for the protection of beverages. This practice leads to high drug exposures exceeding the safety level. Apart from the definition of an acceptable daily dietary exposure to natamycin, its effect on the faecal flora as a reservoir for resistance has to be examined. Consumption of food to which natamycin has been added and mixed homogeneously, such as yoghurt, and in particular the addition of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes to beverages and wine generates high faecal natamycin concentrations resulting in high drug exposures of faecal Candida spp. Development of natamycin resistance has been observed in Candida spp. colonising the intestinal tract of patients following natamycin treatment of fungal infections. Horizontal gene transfer among different Candida spp. and within Aspergillus fumigatus spreads resistance. Therefore, it cannot be denied that use of natamycin for preservation of yoghurt and beverages may foster development of resistance to polyenes in Candida spp.
authors: University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Institute for Infection Medicine, Brunswiker Str. 4, D-24105 Kiel, Germany. Electronic address: adalhoff@t-online.de.
authors: Axel A H
authors: AA
authors: Dalhoff
authors: Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors: Stuart B
authors: SB
authors: Levy
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000187:drug effects; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D006801:Humans; D010866:Natamycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005520:Food Preservatives; D000666:Amphotericin B; D010866:Natamycin
keywords: Food additive; Natamycin; Polyene resistance; Resident flora