title: Activity of fluconazole and its Cu(II) complex towardsCandidaspecies.
abstract: Candidaspecies, although they are present as commensal organisms in the digestive tract of healthy individuals, can produce a broad spectrum of serious illnesses in compromised hosts. Fluconazole, a water-soluble triazole with bioavailability greater than 90 %, has been extensively used to treat a wide range ofCandidainfections. However, a growing resistance of microorganisms in the treatment leads to the discovery of new drugs or modifications of existing ones. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether coordination of Cu(II) ions to fluconazole affects its antifungal activity. The in vitro susceptibility tests and antifungal studies were performed with twoCandidaspp.:CandidaglabrataandCandida albicans. Overall, 34 strains of the former and 16 strains of the latter were treated with fluconazole, its Cu(II) complex and free Cu(II) ions. The obtained MIC values in 16 cases of theC. glabrataand in 5 cases of theC. albicanswere lower for the complex in comparison to the drug. This implies that the complex is more effective against particular strains than the parent drug. The most significant improvement in the complex drug efficacy was observed for fluconazole-resistant species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ząbek
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nagaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grabowiecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Wrocław Medical University, Chałubińskiego 4, 50-386 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dworniczek
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Wrocław Medical University, Chałubińskiego 4, 50-386 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nawrot
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Młynarz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeżowska-Bojczuk
keywords: Azole resistance; Candida spp.; Fluconazole–Cu(II) complex; MIC determination